Hyderabad: In an incident that sent the legal fraternity into a state of shock and gloom, senior advocate Pasnooru Venugopal Rao, 66, suffered a massive heart attack while arguing a case at the high court on Tuesday and breathed his last in the court hall where he practised for nearly 27 years. Though advocates attempted CPR and shifted him to Osmania Hospital in an ambulance, doctors declared him brought dead.
Rao has a son and a daughter, who is based in the US and is rushing to the city. Rao’s son Ananth Aathreya, also a lawyer, is also practising at the high court.
Rao was arguing a case of second appeal before Justice Alishetty Laxmi Narayana around 1pm when tragedy struck.
According to lawyers, Rao was feeling uneasy in the court hall, but tried to fulfil his responsibility towards the client as her case was listed for hearing. The judge suspended the court work after the incident. Several other courts too suspended work. Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul said there would be no adverse orders for the day even if advocates fail to turn up in cases.
Rao had been practising at the HC since 1998. TNN
