Even as the lawyers’ strike in Cuttack reached its eighth day on Tuesday, the Orissa High Court on the day adjourned to Monday next the hearing of the PIl filed by the lawyers seeking a judicial inquiry into the police assault on a lawyer and insult to the honour, dignity and authority of the bar.
Since the lawyers have decided to resort to an indefinite strike until the erring policemen are arrested, judicial activities will continue to suffer in all city courts, tribunals and that of the High Court till next week.
Earlier, City DCP Akhileswar Singh, as a respondent to the PIl, had filed his counter-affidavit stating that the petition is devoid of merit both in the facts and in the law and is liable to be dismissed. Contesting the averments in the petition, he has stated that the police had not brutally attacked in inhuman manner to advocate Devi Prasad Pattnaik last Tuesday after a series of accidents occurred near the fish market of Nuabazar involving his car.
“At least three persons, including two minor schoolchildren were injured in the accidents resulting a commotion on the spot and the general public became violent and assaulted him (the advocate) by fist blows and slaps causing injury on his person,” the DCP’s affidavit said, adding that the policemen on arrival at the spot found the public to be more aggressive and violent. “In order to save the life of the advocate, the policemen requested him to come to the police station and tried to rescue him.”
“But Sri Patnaik argued with police and did not listen to their request, rather misbehaved them and there was a scuffle. The police personnel tried to take him under control but he became more violent and assaulted the police personnel and manhandled them,” the DCP said, adding that finding no other alternative and as a last resort (to) stop such activities on a busy public road, the police personnel were constrained to use mild force to control his activities.