Lawyers protest against alleged police atrocity

Jagatsinghpur: Members of the District Bar Association in Jagatsinghpur staged a day-long strike Wednesday to protest the alleged arrest of a colleague and police torture on him.

The Kujang and Tirtol bar associations have also supported the boycott agitation, resulting in halt of the majority of work in almost all of the district’s courts.

According to reports, a case under Section 498A (dowry harassment) has been registered against lawyer Ramanath Panda at the Jagatsinghpur Police Station in response to an FIR filed by his wife.

Sunday around midnight, Jagatinghpur Police allegedly picked up Panda from his home and took him to the police station for interrogation, where he was allegedly beaten and manhandled by the cops. He was taken to court and then shifted to jail the following day.

Tuesday, however, the Jagatsinghpur District Judge Court granted him bail. Meanwhile, after learning about Panda’s case, the Bar Association convened to plan a protest against the police atrocity.

“Police barged into my house at around 2 am and took me to the police station without any prior information. Later, they made me sit on the floor with other accused. I demand action the officers who insulted me at the police station,” Panda alleged before the media.

President of Jagatsinghpur District Bar Association, Gagan Chandra Dash said, “As per the Section 11 of The Advocates Act – Staff of Bar Council, police should have apprised the Chief Judicial Magistrate in written before the arrest but it did not follow the protocol. Our colleague who was arrested in the 498A (dowry harassment) case was made to sit on the floor with other accused and brutally assaulted by the police. They (cops) tortured, pushed and even pulled his hair. We condemn the action of the police and demand an inquiry into the matter,”

On the other hand, Prabhas Sahoo, IIC of Jagatsinghpur Police Station, stated that a probe will reveal the lapses in the case.