Lawyers go on rampage on Day 1 of strike
NEW DELHI: An auto-rickshaw driver was left with a fractured arm as lawyers allegedly chased and attacked policemen, journalists and civilians in and around Delhi’s district courts on Monday, the first day of their strike organised to protest clashes with the police at Tis Hazari court on Saturday, the police said.
Despite videos showing lawyers purportedly slapping a policeman, thrashing passersby, and vandalising police property, the Delhi Police did not intervene in most of these attacks.
In Tis Hazari court, where a parking dispute on Saturday had triggered a violent clash between the police and lawyers, many police officers restricted themselves either outside the court gates and some stayed locked in the court’s lock-up.
“We haven’t shied away from our duty at Tis Hazari court today, but there is a real danger to our lives. So, we have locked ourselves inside and are ignoring the insulting comments some lawyers are passing at us from time to time,” said a policeman inside the lock-up.
A press release issued by the Bar Council of India on Monday said the videos and images being circulated on social media were meant to “malign the image of the Bar”. The release also surmised that some of those incidents were being manipulated, and cautioned lawyers to be “very cautious” and keep away from “being part of any unruly mob”.
“Overwhelming majority of members of the Bar are peace loving and law abiding citizens,” said the bar.On Monday, the police received complaints from four victims — all of whom were attacked outside Saket court in south Delhi. “Any decision to convert their complaints into FIRs will depend on whether or not the action can aggravate the volatile situation with the lawyers,” said a police officer on condition of anonymity.
The main demand of the agitating lawyers is the arrest of the policeman who had allegedly fired at the lawyers on Saturday, leaving two of them injured. On Sunday, the Delhi high court had taken suo motu cognisance of the previous day’s violence and ordered the transfer of two senior police officers, the suspension of two other officers and compensation to the lawyers injured in the clash.
On Monday, most of the incidents witnessed were outside
Saket court. One video showed a policeman in uniform getting cornered, allegedly by lawyers, who slapped him repeatedly, even elbowing him at one point. As the policeman tried to ride away, one of them hurled a helmet at his motorcycle.
A police officer identified that policeman as a constable posted in the south district. “The policeman has submitted a written complaint, but we are yet to act on it,” an officer said.
“Around the same time, the lawyers thrashed an auto driver with iron rods for driving his three-wheeler on a stretch of road where the movement of traffic was blocked by them. The driver, Ravi Prakash, who lives in Shahpur Jat, was left with a fractured right arm,” said the officer, adding that a written complaint has been received from him too.