Lawyers discount cops' protest, to continue stir

The co-ordination committee of the District Court Bar Associations here on Tuesday termed the protest by police personnel over Saturday's Tis Hazari cop-lawyer clashes as "an attempt to shield senior officers who ordered firing on lawyers in the court premises."

Mahavir Singh Sharma, president of co-ordination committee, told over phone, "The protest by the Delhi Police officers at their ITO headquarters and India Gate was an attempt to shield their senior officers who were transferred pursuant to the high court's order."

He said lawyers practicing in all the district courts of Delhi would continue their strike and would abstain from work on Wednesday as well. "We have appealed the agitating lawyers not to disturb litigants and conduct their protests peacefully," Sharma said.

On the Delhi Police's claim of "a disciplined force", Sharma said, "Had the force been a disciplined one, they would not have blocked roads and dragged their families and children on roads on Tuesday."

After a day-long protest that caught the nation's eyes, thousands of Delhi Police personnel called off their agitation after their seniors assured to meet their most demands.

The police personnel were protesting against assault on some of their colleagues by lawyers at the Tis Hazari court premises on Saturday and outside the Saket court on Monday.

"The agitating cops dispersed peacefully and are satisfied with the course of action the Delhi Police are taking," said Joint Commissioner of Police, Northern Range, Manish Kumar Aggarwal.

( With inputs from IANS )