Delhi bar association goes on indefinite strike, calls for immediate action

New Delhi: The Delhi Bar Association called for an indefinite strike following the alleged incidents of assault and firing on lawyers by Delhi Police at the Tis

New Delhi: The Delhi Bar Association called for an indefinite strike following the alleged incidents of assault and firing on lawyers by Delhi Police at the Tis Hazari Court on Saturday.

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Jaiveer Singh Chauhan, secretary, Delhi Bar Association, said the lawyers would abstain from work and the strike would spread across the country if no action is initiated against the alleged erring police personnel.

“We are abstaining from work till the time action is taken against the culprits,” he said.

Chauhan contended that there were 10,000 people at the court premises during the time of the incident. He alleged that police fired four rounds, injuring two lawyers. “One Vijay Verma allegedly suffered a gunshot wound on his chest while the other suffered injuries to his hand,” he said.

According to Chauhan, seven or eight women lawyers were also injured in the incident.

KC Mittal, chairman, Bar Council of Delhi, said the Delhi government’s chief secretary, the Chief Justice of India and the chief justice of the Delhi high court have been apprised about the issues and a meeting has been sought with lieutenant governor Anil Baijal against the alleged brutalities by the police.

He said the police were chasing the lawyers and bringing them out of the chambers, heckling and beating them.

“We strongly condemn the brutal, unprovoked attack on lawyers by police at Tis Hazari court. One lawyer is critical. A young lawyer was beaten in lock-up, showing the high-handedness of police. They should be dismissed and prosecuted. We stand with Delhi lawyers, “ Mittal added.

The Bar Council of India (BCI) condemned the act and called the incident “completely beyond tolerance of the Bar”.

“We demand from the higher police officials of Delhi Police to immediately arrest the culprits, put them under suspension failing which the situation will go beyond the control of the government. The Bar Council of India strongly condemns this action of the police as a result of which lawyers have been seriously injured by the police firing on a petty issue of car parking. This proves the irresponsible and criminal behaviour of the police,” read a BCI statement.

BCI chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, co-chairman Ved Prakash Sharma and chairman of the Bar Council of Delhi KC Mittal have requested authorities provide the best available medical treatment to the injured lawyers. Mishra also requested the L-G and the city’s police commissioner to immediately lodge complaints against the guilty and have them arrested.

Vinod Dua, a lawyer who has a chamber in the Tis Hazari court premises, said he had to hide in one of the chambers to save himself.

Ikrant Sharma, senior vice-president of the Tis Hazari Bar association, said they are abstaining from work in all district courts in the city. He urged that CCTV footage be examined to ascertain the role of the real miscreants.

“I would urge that the CCTV footage be examined to see whether it was the lawyer or the police who started the scuffle, “ he said.