Lucknow: The functioning of courts in Uttar Pradesh was affected Wednesday when lawyers in various districts of the state struck work protesting last month`s alleged police excesses against their colleagues in Kanpur.
The Uttar Pradesh Bar Council clarified it has not called the strike. The call was given by different lawyers` associations that met Tuesday in Kanpur, some 80 km from Lucknow.
"We have not called any strike. Lawyers` associations in various districts have decided to stay away from work to protest against the Kanpur incident," Uttar Pradesh Bar Council member Praveen Kumar Singh told reporters on phone from Agra.
Meanwhile, the Kanpur Lawyers` Association said it would continue the strike till May 11. "We want strict action against those police officers who baton-charged our colleagues in the court premises," Kanpur Bar Association general secretary Naresh Tiwari said.
"We also demand transfer of the district court judge who failed to take any cognisance of the police brutality and supported the police action," he said.
Lawyers in over 50 districts, including Unnao, Etawah, Lucknow and Kanpur, have struck work. There are 71 districts in the state.
The trouble erupted when a group of lawyers allegedly misbehaved with a police inspector in the court premises. It led to exchange of heated arguments between the lawyers and the police personnel that snowballed into a clash.
Later, police resorted to force when lawyers indulged in brick-batting and other violent activities.
IANS
