Lawyers' protest paralyses Delhi courts

New Delhi, April 7 (IANS) Work in six district courts here was paralysed Saturday following a day-long strike by lawyers protesting against an attack on two advocates earlier in the week.

"Lawyers abstained from work against the attack on two advocates Thursday night in east Delhi by some petrol pump employees," said Rajiv Khosla, former president of the Delhi Bar Association.

Judges held court as usual but in the absence of lawyers most cases were put off.

Advocates Neeraj Sharma and Rajeev Sharma were thrashed in New Ashok Nagar by at least 15 employees of a petrol pump, Khosla said.

The two advocates alleged that when they approached a police station, officials there misbehaved with them and refused to register a first information report (FIR).

When two other advocates went to the police station to inquire about the registration of FIR, "they were illegally detained, humiliated and their mobile phones were snatched by police officials", Khosla said.