Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], April 21 (ANI): A large group of lawyers from the Himachal Pradesh High Court staged a protest on Monday outside the Chhota Shimla (PS East), demanding immediate action against a police constable accused of assaulting a local lawyer.
The protesting lawyers accused the police of shielding their own by filing serious counter-allegations against the lawyer instead of taking impartial action.
“We don’t come out on the streets unless the issue is grave; this is about police insensitivity and misuse of power,” said Senior Advocate Sanjeev Bhushan of the Himachal Pradesh High Court.
The incident in question reportedly occurred about a week ago, when a local advocate tried to contact the police during a dispute. According to the lawyers, not only did the police refuse to respond appropriately, but the constable also physically assaulted the advocate. Shockingly, instead of registering a case against the constable, the police filed a First Information Report (FIR) with serious charges against the lawyer himself.
The protestors gathered outside Chhota Shimla(PS East) near the HP secretariat, where senior advocates addressed fellow lawyers and spoke to the media. Among them was Senior Advocate Sanjeev Bhushan, who voiced strong concerns over what he described as a blatant misuse of authority by the police.
“The advocate community doesn’t step out of their work unless the issue is extremely serious. Protesting on the streets is even more uncommon. But this is one such issue where the police have shown complete insensitivity,” Bhushan said while speaking to ANI.
“The police constable took the law into his own hands and assaulted a lawyer. Even if this had happened to a common man, it would still be unacceptable. After the assault, when the lawyer tried to file a complaint, the police instead registered a counter-FIR with harsh charges, without even conducting a proper investigation.” He added further.
Bhushan also referred to video evidence allegedly recorded by bystanders, which shows the constable beating the advocate. These videos have since circulated on social media. He alleged that instead of acting on the evidence, the police have attempted to downplay the incident by encouraging derogatory comments against the lawyer online, raising suspicions that they are trying to protect their colleague.
“It is evident from these actions that the police are not investigating this incident fairly,” Bhushan said. “We are demanding that the counter-FIR against the lawyer be cancelled and an impartial inquiry be initiated against the constable involved.” He said.
The lawyers also criticised the role of the Chhota Shimla(PS East), calling their conduct “irresponsible” and “biased.”
“If such incidents continue unchecked, the public’s trust in the police will erode completely. This protest is symbolic — we are here to send a message that the police must act justly. They should not try to protect their own when they are in the wrong,” said Bhushan.
He emphasised that the issue should not be seen as a clash between lawyers and police, but as a matter of accountability and justice.
“We’re not here with any ego. We’re here to demand that facts be examined and decisions made based on evidence. If an officer is at fault, they should be held accountable. We hope that today’s dialogue will lead to a fair resolution,” he concluded.
While no formal negotiations had taken place by the time of the protest, senior police officials had arrived at the scene, indicating a possible willingness to engage in dialogue. The lawyers said they were open to talks and hoped the matter would be resolved constructively. (ANI)
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