Lawyers damage rly station in MP

Jabalpur, Mar 21 (UNI) More than a dozen lawyers and railway personnel were injured and the local railway station was damaged today in a clash which occurred following imposition of a fine for ticketless travel, on a district court advocate's nephew.

Mr Vijay Mishra arrived here by train yesterday with his wife and child. Ticket Examiner Kamal Singh imposed a fine of Rs 312 on the kid.

Mr Mishra paid the fine but when his brother learnt of the matter he came to the station with some colleagues and entered an argument with Mr Singh. The dispute degenerated into blows and both parties complained to the Government Railway Police (GRP).

A group of lawyers reached the station for a copy of the police report. It came face-to-face with railway personnel and the advocates began damaging the station, beat up Mr Singh, other railway employees and passengers. A statement said. GRP and Railway Protection Force personnel canecharged the lawyers and dispersed them. The advocates were hospitalised.

Later, lawyers staged a roughly hour-long demonstration in front of the District Bar Association, Divisional Railway Manager's office and damaged a few vehicles.

''The Association will boycott court work indefinitely from tomorrow until the guilty are brought to book. About 20 advocates sustained severe injury,'' claimed Association President R K Singh Saini.

On the other hand, railway employees stopped work for about an hour in protest against the lawyers' behaviour.

Consequently, some trains were delayed. The railway employees warned of a strike if any action was not taken against the advocates.

UNI