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Lawyers try to storm CM’s function venue

— Photo: Lingaraj Panda

Striking lawyers being pushed back by policemen in Berhampur on Tuesday.

BERHAMPUR: Policemen entered into a scuffle with a group of lawyers of the Ganjam Bar Association protesting with black badges against Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on the MKCG Medical College campus on Tuesday.

Mr. Patnaik was on a visit to the auditorium of the medical college to take part in the inauguration ceremony of the city edition of an Oriya daily. The lawyers of the Ganjam bar had stuck to their earlier decision of boycotting all MLAs of the district, including Mr. Patnaik, who represents the Hinjli constituency. These lawyers, who are on strike for more than 85 days, had also rejected and condemned the decision of the Chief Minister to constitute a one-man commission comprising a retired High Court judge to examine the feasibility of establishment of High Court benches in the State.

Due to increased naxal threat and the proposed lawyers’ demonstration there was tight security around the MKCG Medical College. At around 10.30 a.m., a group of lawyers wearing black ribbons reached the MKCG campus before the landing of Mr. Patnaiks’s helicopter. They began raising slogans. A scuffle broke out between policemen and the lawyers when the latter tried to enter the medical college campus. Some lawyers, including the former president of the bar association, S. Panda, received minor injuries.

Irritated policemen also made lensmen trying to capture the moment their target. Some photo journalists, including the photographer of The Hindu were manhandled by securitymen.

The worst sufferers were outpatients and attendants. The whole medical college hospital campus remained sealed off for one and half hours for the Chief Minister’s visit from 10.15 a.m.

The Ganjam Bar Association would hold a meeting on Wednesday to chalk out their plan, said president of the association, S.N. Rath.

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