Odisha lawyers strike: Demands action against policemen

A constable and a havildar had allegedly assaulted a Cuttack-based lawyer, whose car was involved in a series of a road accident at three places on August 28.

The striking Orissa lawyers on Friday threatened to burn effigies of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at various places on a particular day if their demand for arrest of two policemen were not met by Tuesday.

Lawyers across Odisha are on strike since August 29 paralysing judicial activities in all the courts including the Orissa High Court, and tribunals.

A constable and a havildar had allegedly assaulted a Cuttack-based lawyer, whose car was involved in a series of a road accident at three places on August 28 here. "On Tuesday afternoon, the general body will decide the date and time of the simultaneous burning of effigies of the chief minister," Orissa High Court Bar Association secretary Satyabrata Mohanty said.

The lawyers would also fix a date at that meeting for a march to Bhubaneswar and gherao the residence of the chief minister, he said.

(With inputs from agencies.)