Bhopal lawyers end protests over attack on advocate after assaulting woman, blocking roads [Watch videos]

After assaulting citizens and blockading roads, lawyers of the Bhopal District Bar Association on Thursday finally put an end to their strike over the attack on an advocate..The strike, which began on May 24, was called off after the police arrested two persons who allegedly attacked Advocate Dipesh Sharma in a road rage incident that took place near Hamidia Hospital last week..The lawyers were refraining from court work and staged a protest by blocking the road, while demanding the arrest of the two accused who allegedly assaulted the lawyer with a knife..According to media reports, Advocate Dipesh Sharma was going back home after work on his bike when the two accused collided with him. The incident led to a verbal squabble, which turned violent when one of the accused took out his knife and attacked the advocate. The accused ran away from the spot and have been missing since..After their arrest, the two accused were produced before court on Thursday morning and were subsequently sent to jail. The First Information Report (FIR) registered against them included the offence under Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code..Earlier this week, to protest the inability of the police to nab the accused, the lawyers resolved to abstain from court work and staged a chakka jam (road blockage)..Two disturbing videos have emerged of the lawyers assaulting passers-by, including a woman government staffer. In one of the videos, the lawyers are seen pulling the woman's hair and slapping her. Another video shows them assaulting and thrashing a man on his scooter. .[See videos of the incident].However, District Bar Association President PC Kothari denied the manhandling of passers-by during the protests and claimed that it was a "minor incident which was settled by the advocates". Speaking to Bar & Bench, he said,"Advocates did not assault anyone and I deny all the claims. About the lady advocates' videos, they were just standing nearby and there was this red car that tried to hit the lady advocates, and there was some scuffle regarding that only. We did not assault anyone at all.".According to media reports, FIRs have been registered against 60 to 70 protesting advocates under Section 147 (punishment for rioting) and 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) of the Indian Penal Code.

Bhopal lawyers end protests over attack on advocate after assaulting woman, blocking roads [Watch videos]

Chaitanya Singh

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