Lawyers protest police action, call Berhampur bandh on Apr 25

Berhampur, Apr 23 (UNI) The Ganjam Bar Association today called a Berhampur bandh on April 25 condemning the police lathicharge on the agitating lawyers here yesterday.

An emergency meeting of the Bar Association held here this morning passed a resolution urging the state government to transfer Ganjam District Judge Bira Kishore Mishra and Ganjam Superintendent of Police S Debadutta Singh.

The lawyers decided to hold a public meeting here tomorrow to apprise the people of the 'brutal' police action in which over 45 advocates were injured, some of them critically. The police also arrested 32 advocates in connection with the violence.

The lawyers' agitation, demanding permanent bench of Orissa High Court here, turned violent forcing the police to resort to lathicharge to chase the lawyers demonstrating before the district judge office.

Some police personnel were also injured when the lawyers pelted them with stones during the clash.

The District Court had remained closed since December 4 last over the demand for a permanent High Court bench by the agitating lawyers. The police, however, yesterday opened the court forcibly.

The lawyers alleged that the police chased the advocates and attacked them with lathis when they shouted slogans demanding the setting up of the permanent bench at Berhampur.

Ganjam Bar Assocition President Dr Sachi Rath said the meeting also passed another resolution urging the Bar Associations across the state to condemn the police action on the lawyers.

The Association also demanded unconditional release of 29 advocates arrested by the police following the violence.

UNI XC-DP PL SW KP1505