Allahabad, Lucknow lawyers protest lathicharge; resort to violence

Lucknow, Apr 13 (UNI) Agitation by lawyers to protest yesterday police lathicharge on them in Allahabad, today spread to the state capital where a group of advocates torched a police assistance booth and a Samajwadi Party campaign vehicle.

Police said here that lawyers damaged at least two roadways buses and torched a 'prachar rath' (campaign vehicle) of the ruling Samajwadi Party and a police assistance booth near the High Court.

They were protesting lathi charge on a group of lawyers ofAllahabad near collectorate.

In Allahabad, protesting lawyers indulged in heavy brickbatting and blocked the Allahabad-Kanpur National Highway to protest yesterday's lathicharge at collectorate during filing of nominations for the assembly polls.

Reports of clashes between lawyers and police were received from several places in Allahabad and roads were blocked by the protestors.

Lawyers blocked the GT road near the High Court and pelted stones on the police when they tried to remove them.

Additional police forces have been rushed while contingent of Rapid Action Force(RAF) have been deployed near the court premises to control the situation.

Over three dozen lawyers, cops and mediamen had received injuries during the clash yesterday.

Allahabad District Magistrate Ashish Kumar Goel has ordered magisterial inquiry into the incident and two police officials -- inspector of Colonelganj, Vijaypal Singh and Circle officer of George town, C P Pandey have been attached with the police line following yesterday's incident.

Meanwhile, lawyers of Varanasi, Kanpur, Etawah, Agra, Bareilly and Gorakhpur also registered their protest by boycotting the court proceedings.

UNI