Lawyers in Mathura district have gone on an indefinite strike from Wednesday to protest against alleged injustice and excesses by police, Bar Association secretary Shiv Kumar Lawania said. He said the decision was taken on Tuesday at a meeting of senior members of the Bar Association. The district judge, district magistrate, senior superintendent of police (SSP) and all concerned courts were informed about it, he added.
Lawania alleged that despite repeated meetings with the SSP over poor law and order and incidents of police high-handedness against advocates, no corrective measures had been taken, forcing the Bar to take the step.
“We understand that such strikes cause inconvenience to litigants and the society at large. But if the police administration addresses our grievances, we are ready to withdraw the strike,” Lawania said.
The association has given the administration two days to respond positively, failing which the lawyers have threatened to intensify their agitation through demonstrations, he said. The strike is being observed by all lawyers practising in civil, criminal, motor accident claims tribunal and other courts in the district, including those under Chhata Bar Association, Lawania added.
According to him, the protest is not over any single incident but it stems from routine complaints of alleged misbehaviour with advocates who visit police stations for legal work and the lack of cooperation from police officials.
