Odisha lawyers’ body demands probe into police attack on city lawyer

Odisha Sun Times Bureau

Bhubaneswar, July 23:

The Odisha Lawyers’ Association here today demanded an impartial probe into the alleged police attack on Bhubaneswar lawyer Nihar Ranjan Sethi and adequate compensation for him.

At a press conference here, office bearers of the Association demanded an impartial probe to be conducted by a sitting judge of Odisha High Court, High Court monitored CBI probe or probe by Human Rights Commission into the matter.

“The inquiry of Commissionerate police against its personnel would not be impartial. So, we demand to conduct a impartial inquiry to the attack of our member by police,” said secretary of the association Jyanaranjan Mohanty.

demanded that the state government should bear the treatment cost of the victim lawyer and provide security to him.

Nihar Ranjan Sethi , a member of the Bhubaneswar Bar Association, was allegedly beaten up by policemen late on  Wednesday night while he was on his way home near Ravi Talkies square. Sethi had complained of serious injuries inflicted by the police on his scrotum and other parts of the body. He claimed one of his testicles got damaged in the police assault on him and had to be removed by doctors of a private nursing home where he is still undergoing treatment.

Protesting alleged police inaction in the matter, members of the Bhubaneswar bar had blocked the road and frenzied mobs had set a police jeep on fire on Monday.

However, Commissionerate Police on Tuesday evening released CCTV footage showing the concerned lawyer taking alcoholic drinks in a city bar and meeting an accident shortly thereafter. The commissioner said Sethi was lying unconscious on the highway stretch between Vani Vihar square and Rasulgarh square on the fateful night. On getting a call from a good samaritan, police control room had dispatched two PCR vans to rescue Sethi and shifted him to the Capital hospital here where he was released after being provided first aid. Commissioner RP Sharma said Sethi had left the hospital on  an auto rickshaw.

While the Bhubaneswar lawyers are on a strike since Friday last protesting against the alleged police attack and inaction on its part to nab the culprits, the Odisha High Court Bar Association members are on a two day cease work expressing solidarity with their Bhubaneswar brethren while strongly protesting against the alleged police attack on the lawyer.