Bhubaneswar: Members of the Bhubaneswar Bar Association Thursday abstained from court work in protest against the alleged failure of the police in arresting unidentified miscreants who have been accused of assaulting two lawyers Wednesday morning near an apartment at Jharpada here.
The victim lawyers identified as Md Alam and Umakanta Tandi sustained varying degrees of injuries in the attack. Alam Thursday underwent surgery on his fractured leg.
According to sources, advocate Tandi, who has landed property at the Mahadev Nagar in Jharpda, along with an amin had reportedly gone to the spot Wednesday for measurement of the plot. Md Alam, a friend of Tandi, was also present at the place during the measurement.
It is said that Tandi has an old dispute with the owner of the adjacent plot. When Tandi reached the spot a heated argument ensued between the lawyer and the family members of the adjacent plot over the measurement issue. Later, the argument turned violent and the owner of the adjacent plot along with some locals attacked Tandi and Md Alam with bamboo sticks and other sharp weapons.
As the news about the incident spread, the lawyers’ fraternity reached the spot and lodged a complaint with the Laxmisagar police in this regard. Police have initiated a probe into the incident after registering a case (163/19).
When contacted, Bhubaneswar Bar Association secretary Biswa Narayan Mohanty told Orissa POST that the general body of the association will meet Friday to discuss their future course of action against the assault on the lawyers.
Meanwhile, the Inspector in-charge of Laxmisagara police station, Dayanidhi Nayak said, “We have launched a search operation to nab the accused persons who are absconding since the incident.”
