Angry over the murder of their colleague, hundreds of irate advocates torched over two dozen vehicles including two Roadways buses, hurled missiles on the police while laying siege to the area surrounding the court on Wednesday.
Around 10 AM, a group of advocates from different associations including the Young lawyers association reached at Swasthya Bhawan crossing (near high court gate number 1) while demanding Rs 25 lakh as compensation to the family of the slain advocate and arrest of the murderers. At that time the police force was thin and district administration officials managed to cajole the irate workers from protesting and moving further towards the Vidhan Sabha.
As precautionary measure, the police had put barricades on the road leading towards Clark Awadh tri section also. The advocates were stopped at the Parivartan Chowk. After a verbal spat and allegation amid anti police slogans, the district administration officials managed to strike a truce assuring a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the deceased advocate.
After the negotiation, the group decided to call off the strike and started returning. In between another group sloganeering against police and administration and demanding the government to remove the DM and SSP lucknow surged ahead and took command on the protest. They fanned in all direction sending the cops in a jittery. In between, some advocates reached the Swasthya Bahwan tri-section (near the Hanuman temple) and forcibly got stopped two roadways buses. They also forced the cops present there to park the buses in the mid of the road to clock the traffic movement.
They later set afire the buses. When a security guard of the Swasthya Bahawan saw buses catching fire, he took out a hose pipe and tried to douse the fire. Seeing the Swasthya Bhawan employee tried to spoil their attempt to set the buses afire, the advocates called their colleagues and they entered the Swasthya Bhawan.
later on information that some advocates had been trapped inside the Swasthya Bhawan, huge number of advocates entered the office and started ransacking the motorcycles and cars. They later set afire the cars and motorcycles. Their act caused the Swasthya Bhawan employee to scare out of their wit and they hide themselves in the offices at the first floor. Both, the advocates and the Swasthya Bhawan employees then indulged in stone pelting.
The angry mob of the advocates did not spare any one and thrashed up the employees. While advocates were creating ruckus, the police remained a mute spectator only. later on the direction of bosses the police surrounded the building from all sides. The advocates then started pelting stones on the policemen forcing them to retreat. In between more number of advocates came from the high court gate number 3 and they also joined the protest. The said barged the roadways workshop located at other end of Session court road and ransacked the office also.
They also broke the motorcycle and car which did not belong to some advocate or a judge. Their anarchy spread all over the road between Roadways Bus workshop to Swasthya Bhawan crossing and at the road linking the main road. Police resorted to cane charging the advocates but they confronted the police officials also. In the stone pelting above a dozen policemen including the ASP West Sarvesh Mishra suffered injuries. There were reports that the angry group of advocates slapped a police officer of ASP rank when they were protesting near the BSNl office.
The fearless mob of the advocates did not care the presence of DM and SSP who were commanding the operation to overpower the advocates and dispersed the mob. By 4 PM, the intensity of the protest slowed down.
During the agitation they thrashed Health Directorate staff, targeted mediamen, damaging their cameras.They were demonstrating on the murder of an advocate Shrawan Kumar Verma in Naka on Tuesday and demanding compensation to the bereaved family of the advocate.
Judges and employees of Swasthya Bhawan got stuck in the melee and the police force could help them to come out the premises only when the protestors thinned and the police could get control there. The protest caused all round traffic jam in the surrounding area and soon the effect reached to the Hazratganj also.
A number of ambulances going towards KGMU or other hospitals stuck in the traffic jam. The school buses ferrying students also remained stuck in the traffic which was moving at snail’s pace. Police teams helped the judged who were inside the courts to get out of the court premises.
Police forces are still camping in the troubled zone. The traffic was restored by the evening. Police are identifying those created the ruckus and a case is yet to be registered.