Police make way for Sambalpur collector Mrinalini Darswal to get down from the bus, in which the lawyers were supposed to go to Burla. Telegraph picture

Sambalpur, April 23: District collector Mrinalini Darswal was allegedly assaulted by lawyers following an altercation with them. Her residential office was also ransacked by a mob, which broke window panes and computers.

“They (the lawyers) tried to manhandle me and illegally confine me within a bus. They even hurled shoes at me and used abusive language,” said Mrinalini. She also alleged that the lawyers had attacked her official residence and employees.

The lawyers, however, denied the allegation. “Rather she used abusive language against us. The conduct of such a high official is unfortunate,” said president of the Sambalpur Bar Association Pramod Rath.

“We were in no way involved in the assault on the collector. It was the mob, which attacked the collector and the lawyers rather made way for her to escape from the spot,” said Rath.

However, police are yet to arrest anyone in connection with this incident. “Three cases have been registered in this connection. Mrinalini and district sub-registrar Srikant Behuria had lodged two separate complaints, while the Sambalpur Bar Association president has lodged another,” said inspector general of police (northern range) R.P. Koche.

Asked why no arrest has been made so far, Koche said: “Our priority now is to maintain the law and order situation.” Eyewitnesses said the incident had taken place around 11am near the court premises, when members of the Sambalpur Bar Association were about to leave for Burla in a bus. They had earlier planned to go to Burla to gherao the corporate office of the Western Electricity Supply Company in protest against “frequent unscheduled power cuts”.

At that time, Mrinalini reached the spot and entered the bus to dissuade the lawyers not to go to Burla. An altercation ensued with lawyers, which took a violent turn later.

“I was trying to prevent the lawyers from going to Burla and indulging in violence. But, they did not listen and rather started misbehaving with me,” said Mrinalini.

“They not only assaulted me, but also attacked the district sub-registrar in his office. He was injured,” she said.

The police escorted the collector to her residence. However, the mob chased her and ransacked it. Some of the people were seen throwing shoes, stones and flowerpots at her residence and the vehicles parked on the premise.

Eyewitnesses said there was a simultaneous hitch between Behuria and a section of people regarding hike in land valuation. Earlier, the association had challenged the decision for upward valuation of land in Orissa High Court. Subsequently, the high court ordered to continue the land registration in old rates.

However, the district sub-registrar had allegedly declined to register transaction of land in old rates today. This had caused a tussle between a section of the people and Behuria. Some people had allegedly manhandled him.

Behuria said: “Such an incident had never happened in my service career.” He, however, declined to tell about today’s incident.

The association, however, denied involvement in today’s incident. “Our association had welcomed the high court direction on land valuation. The lawyers were in no way connected with the incident in the district sub-registrar’s office today,” said Rath.