Lawyers threaten to go on fast-unto-death

SURAT, Jan 5: Agitating lawyers of the Surat District Bar Association (SDBA) have decided to adopt more drastic forms of protest, including a fast unto death, from Wednesday to secure the arrest of a police official, who drove his vehicle onto a group of agitating lawyers on Friday, injuring two of them on the feet. Picketing outside the court premises and boycott of work by advocates over the incident continued on the fifth day on Tuesday.

The lawyers, meanwhile, have withdrawn a plan to submit a memorandum to the police commissioner to press for DySP H Y Chudasama’s arrest and instead decided to go on an indefinite fast. A decision to this effect will be taken on Wednesday.

The Khedut Samaj and the Surat Diamond Cutters’ Association have already extended support to agitating lawyers, and in separate releases issued, demanded the official’s arrest. A case of attempt to murder has been registered in the Umra police station against the police official.