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Lawyers and police clash in Kanpur

Photo: PTI

A burning issue: This here is the scene after a clash between lawyers and policemen in Kanpur on Thursday.

LUCKNOW: The industrial metropolis of Kanpur witnessed a pitched battle between lawyers and police following an altercation between an advocate and a police constable who clashed after their motorcycles met with an accident in the Colonelganj area of the city on Thursday.

As a section of the lawyers ransacked the police station and torched some vehicles near its vicinity, the police fired teargas shells and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the unruly mob.

The mayhem continued for a couple of hours causing injuries to both sides. Fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames. According to a State Home Department spokesman here, some lawyers opened fire on the police personnel but no casualties have been reported.

The drama started at around 11.10 a.m. when the motorcycles driven by an advocate, Subhash Chandra Tripathi, and a constable Ravitosh Dubey crashed head on at the Colonelganj crossing. An altercation ensued between the two following which both exchanged blows. When the advocate went to the Colonelganj police station to lodge an FIR against the constable, his plea was turned down by the policemen.

Special Secretary, Home, G.K. Tandon, said that the advocates spilled over on the streets and gheraoed the police station. They demanded that action should be taken against an inspector and four constables. The situation was defused following a meeting between the Kanpur SSP and office-bearers of Kanpur Bar Association, Mr Tandon said.

However, one group of lawyers which was apparently dissatisfied with the “truce” returned to the police station and resorted to heavy stone pelting. Some vehicles, including those of the police, were set ablaze by the irate lawyers, the Home official added. The police used teargas to disperse the mob.

The situation was brought under control by the District Magistrate and DIG, Kanpur Range, who rushed to the site of the incident. Heavy police force has been deployed in the area. The loss to property was being assessed, said the Home official.

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