Tis Hazari: Lawyers on indefinite hunger strike, demand judicial probe

The lawyers of Tis Hazari Court have gone on an indefinite hunger strike demanding a judicial probe into the scuffle between advocates and Delhi Police personnel on Saturday. "This is an indefinite strike. Our demand is clear – there should be an FIR against the police personnel who were engaged in a skirmish with advocates. They should be suspended. Compensation should be given to 200 injured advocates, who are being treated currently," said advocate Ajay Gaur. "Police are getting the matter investigated by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police but we want a judicial inquiry by the sitting judges of the High Court," he added.

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Nadeem Akhtar Khan, a lawyer from Patna, who is here as two of his cases were listed at the Tis Hazari Court, also condemned the action of the police officials. "A police officer fired at an advocate. Bullets are fired at criminals and not on educated people like advocates," he said. "Yesterday the police personnel at the direction of DCP North, attacked lawyers. They also broke the lawyers' chambers and their vehicles," alleged RN Vats, a former president of the Bar Association. "Tomorrow, there will be a strike in all the district courts. We demand that the erring police officials should be suspended at the earliest," he added.

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Violence and aftermath

Bar Council of Delhi has decided to grant Rs. 2 lakh each to two lawyers who are currently in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Rs. 50,000 to the lawyers who sustained injuries in the clash. In the wake of the incident, the Bar Council of India has called for a lawyers' strike across district courts in Delhi on Monday. Around 20 cops including Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Harender Singh and two Station House Officers (SHOs) and eight lawyers sustained injuries in the scuffle. The clashes were over parking, between jawans of 3rd Battalion and lawyers.

Cops, lawyers book each other

A total of four FIRs including cross FIRs from lawyers and the police have been registered in the case. The third FIR has been registered by a lady lawyer against police for misbehaving and inappropriate gestures. The District Judge has also registered an FIR over-all chaos and clash, the police said.

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(With ANI inputs)