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It was hardly by the chance  that repetition of infamous Bhagalpur court incident of 1998 was averted today despite the fact that the intensity was the same!

Lawyers here under the banner of District Bar Association (DBA), Bhagalpur who were agitating over the brutal murder of  a young lawyer here, Md Majrul Haque alias Arju, today experienced direct head on collision with the police. The lawyers here have been boycotting all the court works since October 13 in protest against the incident and also against delay by the police to nab the culprits involved in the incident, court’s works remained paralyzed.

A major clash broke out between the police and lawyers this evening when police tried to prevent the agitating lawyers who all set to burn the effigies of senior superintendent of police and district magistrate, Bhagalpur inside the collectorate premises. Determinations shown by the lawyers has prompted the police to manhandled some of the lawyers which ultimately changed into group clash between the two.

“It was just the repetition of Bhagalpur court incident of 1998, police started chasing the persons wearing black court even on the road. The cops, mostly constables even destroyed many items while entering inside the DBA, Bhagalpur premises and also beaten black and blue to some lawyers here. over half a dozen lawyers sustained injuries,” alleged Sanjoy Kumar Modi, general secretary of DBA, Bhagalpur while adding he said a formal complain would soon be registered with the concerned police station.

On the otherhand, police alleged lawyers for taking the law in their own hand. “Every one has the right to protest but that should be within the periphery of law, they indulged violence and attacked police in which some cops sustained injury,” alleged a police officer here. Meanwhile a FIR was registered against the lawyers by some cops at Adampur PS in which it is alleged that the lawyers indulged in violence resulting injury of some of the cops.

“It’s really very unfortunate that the cops and lawyers started confronting openly on the streets. It would certainly  hamper the ongoing investigation of the Arju’s murder incident,” said a higher authority of the civil court here. He said since the lawyers earlier filled a PIL at Patna High court, there is no reason for them to boycott the courts’ works. “Many  innocent people directly became the suffers as they directly deprived off the having justice due to termination of courts’ works for the last few days, the officer added further.

A major mishap however  was averted somehow today but tension apparently simmering here between the two groups. Sources from DBA, Bhagalpur said that an emergent meeting of the lawyers has been called for tomorrow where the strategies would be taken.