PARADIP: Routine work in all the courts of Jagatsinghpur and Kujang was completely paralysed on Wednesday as lawyers boycotted their duties in protest against recent attacks on two senior advocates in Paradip.Condemning the assault on the lawyers by BJD leader and councilor of Paradip Municipality Manas Biswal, hundreds of lawyers of Kujang and Jagatsinghpur District Bar Associations abstained from work. On January 30, Biswal had attacked senior advocate Debabrata Sahoo in Paradip town when the latter opposed the use of loudspeaker at a function organised by the councilor. Though Debabrata lodged an FIR in this regard the next day, police are yet to act against the BJD leader.
Earlier, another advocate Kailash Sahoo was attacked by drunk miscreants who were creating nuisance in the market area. Kailash was assaulted with wooden planks when he raised objection to their activities. The advocate sustained head injuries and was rushed to Biju Memorial Hospital near Atharbanki. Later, he was shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
Though Paradip police arrested four accused who had attacked Kailash, no action was taken against Biswal and his supporters due to his links with the ruling party, the agitating lawyers alleged and demanded suspension of Paradip IIC for not acting against the accused BJD leader.
On last Monday night, local police raided the houses of some persons suspected to be involved in the attack on Debabrata in Paradip town and detained four of them for interrogation. However in the evening, womenfolk in the houses of these four persons met Jagatsinghpur SP and accused Paradip police of misbehaving with them during the raids.Additional SP of Paradip Bishnu Charan Mishra said locals should cooperate with the police in arresting the accused. The names of Biswal’s supporters have not been mentioned in FIR lodged by Debabrata. Police are investigating into the matter and efforts are on to arrest the culprits, he added.