Radiation Induced Void in the Spectrum of TOL 1038-2712

Detection of a large void ($\sim$7 Mpc) is reported between the redshifts 2.16286 and 2.20748 in the Ly~$\alpha$ forest of TOL 1038-2712. This void is centered near a foreground QSO TOL 1037-2704 which is at a distance $\sim$4.4 Mpc away from the void. The estimated probability for the void to occure by chance in front of the foreground QSO is few times ${10}^{-3}$. Various implications of the void being produced by excess ionization due to foreground QSO are discussed.