Lucknow: Lawyers across Uttar Pradesh struck work Monday to protest the killing of two of their colleagues during a clash with revenue officials in Lakhimpuri Kheri district, officials said.
The daylong strike, which affected the functioning of courts in the state, was called by the Uttar Pradesh Bar Council.
"As many as 2.5 lakh lawyers are abstaining from work in Uttar Pradesh to protest the murder of two lawyers, who were shot dead by 'lekhpals' (revenue officials) during a clash in Lakhimpur on Saturday (Sep 3)," AR Khan, senior lawyer and member of the bar council, told reporters.
"We want immediate suspension of all the lekhpals involved in the clash. We also demand action against the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) and the additional district magistrate (ADM) for not taking adequate measures to defuse the situation," he said.
The clash between advocates and the revenue officials, known as lekhpals, took place in Mohammadi town, about 150 km from here. Thirty-five lekhpals have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Agitated over the killings, lawyers had vandalised government offices and set several vehicles afire.
According to officials, the clash was linked to an old dispute between lawyers and lekhpals over registry of a piece of land.
IANS
First Published: Monday, September 05, 2011, 12:20