Violence On Orissa HC Premises: Police To Act Against The Perpetrators

Cuttack: In the wake of the ongoing strike, the Commissionerate Police on Tuesday said that action would be taken against those involved in the violence inside the Orissa High Court premises the previous day.

At a press meet here, police commissioner Satyajit Mohanty said two cases have been registered at the Lalbag Police Station. One case has been registered on the basis of the complaint lodged by a policeman, who sustained injuries, and another by a youth injured in the incident. “The investigating officer is examining the CCTV footage. Action would be taken against those involved in the violence,” he added.

Mohanty also said police have been deployed inside the premises by the order of the High Court Registrar. “The Registrar, in a letter, said that the police would intervene if there is law and order situation inside the court premises. The deployment of the Armed Police Reserve (APR) and the Odisha State Armed Police (OSAP) inside the court premises will continue till normalcy is restored,” he pointed out.

Meanwhile, the general body meeting of the High Court Bar Association is scheduled for this afternoon. “We will discuss the incident that took place yesterday and announce our next course of action after the meeting,” secretary of the Association Satyabrata Mohanty told the media.

Talking to mediapersons on the issue for the first time on Tuesday, Law Minister Pratap Jena said the allegation against the state government of not being serious about the matter, was wrong.

“I have personally spoken to the members of the Orissa High Court Bar Association. On the directive of the state government, the police had arrested two cops and suspended four others for assaulting the lawyer. The Supreme Court and the High Court have also intervened in the matter. Following the directive of the court, a senior police officer of the IG rank is probing the incident,” the minister added.

Requesting the lawyers to withdraw the stir and allow the High Court to take a decision on this matter, Jena said that the ongoing agitation was being led by those who were not the lawyers by profession. “The state government is aware of this and will take the necessary measures. We will abide by whatever decision the High Court takes on this matter,” he maintained.