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Prayagraj lawyers concerned over lax security in dist court
The District Bar Association held a meeting following which the lawyers declared a work boycott to protest the murder in Lucknow district court on Wednesday. Association’s president Girish Tiwari said lawyers were not feeling safe after the incident in Lucknow district court. Strict security arrangements should be ensured in Prayagraj district court.
PRAYAGRAJ: In the wake of gangster Sanjeev Maheshwari aka Jeeva’s murder in Lucknow district court on Wednesday, lawyers in Prayagraj are concerned over their security. They claim the security is lax on most working days.
As Prayagraj district court has witnessed shootouts and murders in past years, lawyers demand that adequate security arrangements and CCTV cameras should be ensured on the district court premises.
Lawyer Masood Ali Khan said the murder in Lucknow district court was the result of security lapse. The assailant was confident he would reach inside the court with the firearm unchecked, he added.
Prayagraj District Bar Association general secretary Vidhi Varidhi Mishra said a similar situation prevailed in Prayagraj district court where there were no security arrangements at all on most days. Metal detectors installed at six entrances of the court were defunct. Lawyers met the district judge on Thursday and raised concerns over security lapses, he added.
The District Bar Association held a meeting following which the lawyers declared a work boycott to protest the murder in Lucknow district court on Wednesday.
Association’s president Girish Tiwari said lawyers were not feeling safe after the incident in Lucknow district court. Strict security arrangements should be ensured in Prayagraj district court. A delegation of lawyers would meet senior police officials about their demands soon, he added.
It is worth mentioning that there are six entrances to the Prayagraj district court. Metal detectors are installed at the entrances but except at the main entrance, no cops are deployed to check the entry of suspicious persons on most days, the lawyers claim.
However, on Thursday policemen were alert at all entrances of the district court following the orders issued by the UP DGP to tighten security in lower courts. Cops ensured that metal detectors were functional and baggage scanners were used.
The lawyers also recalled some incidents of assault in the district court in the past few years.
Slain mafia politician Atiq Ahmad himself was attacked inside the district court 15 years before he was shot dead by three assailants on April 15, 2023.
Lawyer Indra Vikram Singh recalled that Atiq was brought to court in 2007 for hearing in a case. After the hearing Atiq was coming down from the second floor of the court escorted by policemen. On the stairs, a person had hurled crude bombs at him. Smoke had filled the stairs after a loud explosion. Atiq and a sub inspector had fallen on the floor. While a cop had received injuries, Atiq had escaped unhurt. The assailant had fled the spot taking advantage of the commotion. One Ekhlaq was arrested later for the attack on Atiq. However, it also came to fore that Atiq himself staged the attack, Singh added.
Another incident was a lawyer’s murder by a sub inspector in Prayagraj district court premises in 2015.
On March 11, 2015 a group of lawyers had an argument with sub–inspector Shailendra Singh. After the heated exchange, the lawyers allegedly assaulted the sub-inspector. Shailendra Singh had allegedly whipped out his service pistol and opened fire. A bullet had hit a young lawyer Nabi Ahmad and he had collapsed. He was later declared brought dead at the hospital. SI Shailendra Singh had fled the district court, clutching the pistol in his hand. Lawyers had created a ruckus in protest against the incident. Later, Shailendra Singh was arrested and sent to jail.
Slain lawyer Umesh Pal was assaulted in Prayagraj district court on July 11, 2016 while he was there to give a statement in the 2005 BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case. Assailants had opened fire on him but he had escaped unhurt. The assailants had fled the spot soon after the lawyers assembled there
