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Lawyers chase away agitating State staff
THERE SEEMS to be no end to the week-long row between lawyers and district revenue officials here. On Thursday, like other days, the revenue employees went a step further by pitching a tent on the collectorate campus to give vent to their ire against the lawyers. While they were carrying out their loud protests against the lawyers, police personnel stood nearby to stop any untoward incident.
THERE SEEMS to be no end to the week-long row between lawyers and district revenue officials here. On Thursday, like other days, the revenue employees went a step further by pitching a tent on the collectorate campus to give vent to their ire against the lawyers.
While they were carrying out their loud protests against the lawyers, police personnel stood nearby to stop any untoward incident.
Meanwhile, lawyers in large numbers, outnumbering the striking revenue employees, first reached the election office and went on the rampage.
Thereafter, they allegedly assaulted senior election assistant Ashok Kumar, who sustained head injuries. From here they reached the dharna spot and brought down the 'shamiyana' forcibly and allegedly chased away the employees, who ran for cover. They also allegedly beat up a few employees. The lawyers reportedly also went on rampage at the office of Sadar tehsil.
The incident further worsened the situation. But things deteriorated further with both sides being adamant over the tussle. As a result, the striking revenue employees, who were earlier chased away by the lawyers, returned to resume their agitation.
It may be mentioned that the trouble started from Meja tehsil of the district a week ago after some lawyers allegedly beat up the tehsildar. A complaint was filed by the tehsildar at the police station and the revenue staff of the tehsil went on strike, demanding arrest of the lawyers involved in the assault.
Meanwhile, the lawyers also lodged an FIR against some revenue officials through the court. While the situation worsened in Meja, employees of the collectorate took the incident as a personal insult and declared a strike to express solidarity with the staff of Meja.
This crippled the work at the collectorate, causing great inconvenience to the public at large.
Since the last week, both sides have been trading charges against each other.
The situation on Wednesday took an ugly turn when some lawyers allegedly hurled shoes and slippers at the striking employees. On their part the lawyers are reported to have resorted to such action after being told by some persons that the revenue employees were hurling abuses at them. Meanwhile, attempts being made by the administration, including the district magistrate, to find out a peaceful solution to the ongoing row, could not reach any logical end till Thursday evening.
