Even after the arrest of two persons, including a policeman, for their alleged involvement in an assault on an advocate last month, the protesting lawyers of the city have refused to call off their strike and, in fact, have threatened to intensify their agitation.
Lawyers across the State are protesting since August 29 demanding the arrest of the policemen who allegedly assaulted the advocate in Cuttack on August 28.
For the second day on Wednesday, all government offices located on the periphery of the High Court premises here were closed as the agitating lawyers picketed in front of them, restraining the employees from entering their offices. The general public too had a horrendous experience as the lawyers blocked the roads leading to banks and treasury of the locality.
“Our indefinite boycott of courts and picketing in front of the government offices shall continue till Friday [September 28] when we will decide our next course of action,” said Orissa High Court Bar Association president Srikant Naik on Wednesday.
Police request
The Odisha Havildar, Constable and Sepoys Confederation, the largest police body of the State, on Wednesday reacted for the first time ever since the lawyer and police face-off started last month. The executive members of the confederation urged the protesting lawyers not to aggravate the matter further and refrain from their demand of arrests of the policemen.
“We remained calm all these days as we belong to a disciplined organisation. But if the lawyers continue to build unnecessary pressure on the State government for the arrests of policemen, the confederation will come forward to give necessary protection to our innocent colleagues. If required, we may also go on strike," said confederation president Santosh Satpathy.
