CUTTACK: Even as Crime Branch of Odisha Police on Tuesday arrested two persons accused of assaulting an advocate here last month, lawyers continued their agitation paralysing several Government and Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) offices for the second consecutive day.
Offices and banks near Orissa High Court and subordinate courts wore a deserted look as the agitating lawyers prevented officials from discharging their duties. The Crime Branch, in its bid to pacify the lawyers, arrested a local Dillip Singh and Home Guard Kishore Jena on Tuesday evening and produced them before the SDJM court which granted them bail. The agitating lawyers, however, stuck to their demand to arrest all those involved in the assault case.
The general body of Orissa High Court Bar Association (OHCBA) in a meeting on Wednesday resolved to continue the cease-work agitation till September 28. However, the proposal to gherao Naveen Nivas, the residence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, was postponed by the Association. OHCBA secretary Satyabrata Mohanty said taking into account the problems faced by the general public, all banks and Government offices will be allowed to function as usual from Thursday. Though the agitation will continue, the lawyers will not stage picketing and demonstrations. The Association’s next general body meeting will be held on September 28 to chalk out further course of action.
Meanwhile, protesting the suspension of two constables and a havildar a day after lawyer Debi Prasad Patnaik was assaulted here, the Odisha Constable, Sepoy and Havildar Association met the DGP at his camp office in the Capital and submitted a memorandum in this regard. Later, addressing media persons, Association president Santosh Satpathy said, “We will not permit anyone to victimise us. If pressure is mounted on police personnel, the association will resort to agitation.”