Lawyer-police face-off: Crime Branch arrests 2 including accused Home Guard

Cuttack: With the cease work stir by Bar Associations in Odisha over police excess on lawyers nearing a month and hitting the court work badly, the Crime Branch last night arrested the accused Home Guard involved in the case along with two others.

As per the Crime Branch ADG Santosh Upadhyay, it arrested Home Guard Kishore Jena and and Dillip Singh over their alleged role in the attack on lawyer Debi Prasad Patnaik near Nua Bazar bridge in Cuttack on August 28 morning.

Notably, initiating disciplinary action against the unruly cops Cuttack DCP Akhileswar Singh had already suspended two other accused in the case namely, Constables BK Samal and UK Bhuyan along with Havildar PK Behera on August 30.

The action on the part of the CB came when the agitating lawyers are all set to gherao the residence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik tomorrow. While protests were also held in front of all government offices in Cuttack yesterday the lawyers also held a press conference on the issue a day before.

The Cuttack DCP had issued a notice to Home Guard Kishore Jena seeking his explanation on the allegations within a month.

Meanwhile, the High Court Bar Association will hold a meeting scheduled at 2 PM today to decide the next course of action of the lawyers in connection with the incident.

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