Sambalpur: Police today arrested eight more lawyers in connection with the vandalism on the premises of the district court.

Sureshwar Mishra, President of the District Bar Association, is among the arrested ones.

This apart, a civilian and 8 transgenders were apprehended, taking the total number of arrests in the case to 32.

Raids were being carried out by the police to apprehend others involved in the incident.

Earlier, 15 agitating lawyers were arrested under Sections 147, 341, 323, 353, 332, 506, 186, 188 and 149 of the IPC.

The accused lawyers had allegedly resorted to vandalism inside the chamber of a district judge.

Notably, the Central Action Committee of All Bar Associations of Western Odisha has suspended its agitation demanding establishment of Orissa High Court’s permanent bench in Sambalpur.

On the other hand, the Bar Council of India has suspended practice license of 43 lawyers of the district bar association for 18 months who had allegedly resorted to violence during the agitation. It has also suspended all members of district bar association till further orders.

Also read-- No Need For Any High Court Bench In Odisha, Rules Supreme Court.