The Rajasthan High Court has ordered the removal of five police officials in Jaipur until an enquiry into the clashes between police and lawyers in the district court compound in Bani Park yesterday has been submitted. Yesterday, police had fired tear gas shells at a group of protesting lawyers.
The division bench hearing the plea on the clashes has said a sitting judge of the court will conduct the judicial enquiry and submit a report within 15 days.
The court has ordered the removal of Police Commissioner B L Soni, additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Raghuveer Saini, Deputy Inspector General Giriraj Meena , DCP Yogesh Yadav, and DCP Yogesh Goyal, ACP Bajrang Sharma and three police Station House Officers.
Strongly admonishing the police, the court said the police cannot enter the court premises anywhere in Rajasthan without prior permission of either a district judge or the chief justice in case of High Court.
On Wednesday, protesting lawyers had marched to the Vidhan Sabha, but were stopped at a barricade about 400 metres from the assembly. The police resorted to lathicharge after they broke the barricades and tried to continue the march.
Yesterday, a police post near the city Collectorate and some police vans were set on fire by protesting lawyers. Police had to fire tear gas at the crowd to bring the situation under control. At least 37 policemen were injured during the clashes, while 18 lawyers were injured in the protest and over 40 cars parked in the vicinity were damaged.
Lawyers have been holding protests for the past two days demanding several welfare measures, including a housing scheme and a monthly stipend for new lawyers.