Odisha lawyers’ to strike work over Boudh murder

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Cuttack, Nov 12:

Lawyers across Odisha will resort to cease work tomorrow demanding immediate arrest of assailants of Boudh lawyer Hemant Sahu.

The decision was taken at the general council meeting of the Orissa High Court Bar Association (OHCBA) held here this afternoon. The Bhubaneswar Bar Association has already extended its support to the OHCBA’s decision.

The All Odisha Lawyers’ Association (AOLA) today resolved to support the OHCBA decision for cease work.

The AOLA has informed the OHCBA that 156 bar associations across the state will abstain from work tomorrow.

The OHCBA at the general council meeting decried frequent attacks on lawyers in the state. Participants at the meeting expressed concern that neither has the police been able to arrest the assailants nor has the government announced any ex-gratia to the next of kin of the deceased lawyer.

Further, it was demanded at the meeting that the government should bring a law to protect lawyers and witnesses to prevent occurrence of such incidents, reports said.

It may be mentioned here that unidentified miscreants on Tuesday morning hacked Hemant Sahu, a lawyer, to death at Bahira village under Baunsuni police station limits in Boudh district. Sahoo was attacked by some assailants while he was on a morning walk. A profusely bleeding Hemant succumbed to his injuries on the spot.