CUTTACK: The ongoing tussle between policemen and lawyers took an ugly turn on Wednesday after a group of lawyers allegedly set a PCR van on fire in front of the RDC office. The incident took place after a lawyer was allegedly assaulted by a few police officials at Nua Bazaar over bridge. Lawyer Debi Prasad Patnaik had an argument with some policemen following a road accident on Tuesday night. The argument took a violent turn and the policemen assaulted Patnaik.
Later, a group of lawyers gheraoed Chauliaganj police station. The members High Court Bar Association resorted to cease work protesting the alleged police atrocity. The agitating lawyers blocked the road and also staged a dharna in front of the Collectorate demanding stringent action against the cops of Chauliaganj police station allegedly involved in the incident.
Amid the ongoing agitation, the police van, belonging to Bhadrak DSP Biswanath Rout, which was parked in front of Revenue Divisional Commissioner’s office, was set on fire. In a general body meeting held under the chairmanship of president Srikant Kumar Nayak, the High Court Bar Association, while condemning the incident, sought the intervention of the Chief Justice of Orissa High Court in the incident.
The association also resolved to hold its next general body meeting on Thursday to chalk out their further course of action, High Court Bar Association secretary Satyabrata Mohanty said. The Odisha State Bar Council too condemned the attack on the lawyer and highhandedness of the police. It has called for a statewide abstention from court work to express solidarity. “The council has demanded immediate arrest and suspension of police personnel involved in the attack,” Tahali Charan Mohanty, chairman, Odisha State Bar Council, said.
On the other hand, the Commissionerate Police has stated that three separate cases have been registered in connection with the incident. An Additional DCP has been asked to conduct an enquiry and submit report at the earliest. One person named in the FIR has been detained.Appealing to the striking lawyers to maintain peace, the CP has also stated that strong action would be initiated against the guilty.