Lawyers assault women Collector in Odisha

Irate lawyers on Monday physically assaulted Sambalpur Collector Mrinalini Darswal after she tried to intervene in the issue related to increase in valuation of land in Sambalpur, Odisha.

The unsavoury incident took place following protest by the lawyers against increase in valuation of land in January.

On Monday morning, lawyers allegedly thrashed district sub-registrar (DSR) for his refusal to implement the high court order on the land valuation issue.

After the melee, the Collector lodged a complaint with the police where she stated that she was physically assaulted by lawyers who tried to confine her inside a bus.

The collector also alleged that the lawyers tried to molest her, threw bottles, chappal and kicked her while she went to the district judge court to lodge her complaint.
The lawyers had even ransacked Collector's residence chasing after her.

The lawyers also lodged a counter FIR stating that the collector abused them using filthy language. The collector went inside the bus and challenged us for allegedly assaulting the DSR, the lawyers alleged.

Senior police officers, including IG of police RP Koche and RDC Kishore Chandra Barik rushed to the collector residence to review the situation. “We have registered three cases on the complaints of the collector, bar association and DSR. However we have not made any arrest so far,” a senior police officer said.

Meanwhile, the president of the Sambalpur Bar association Pramod Rath criticized the collector for indulging in unnecessary argument with lawyers.

“It was not expected from a collector to behave in such a manner. She came and scolded the lawyers using fifthly language,” the president Pramod Rath said.

The incident has elicited sharp reactions from other lawyers.

 “How can a lawyer tolerate when somebody comes to the Bar and used filthy language against lawyer community. She even went inside the bus that was meant for transportation of the lawyers and challenged the them,” the secretary of the Bar Bijitendriya Pradhan said.

The lawyers have decided to take out a massive protest rally on Tuesday demanding the removal of the collector from the district. The lawyers have also given a bandh call on Wednesday on this issue.

Notably, the district administration had increased the valuation of land two months back despite the objections from the lawyers.

The lawyers took the matter to the high court and subsequently the court rejected the hike directing the district administration to reexamine the matter.


On the other hand, the administrative officials brought out a rally in support of the collector on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the state government directed the authorities to submit a report in this matter.

Reacting on the issue, the political parties have criticised the collectors for using “filthy language” against lawyers.

Sambalpur Member of Parliament Amaranth Pradhan expressed concern over the issue and criticized the collector over the handling of the issue.