Cuttack, Feb. 23: Its courts paralysed by a lawyers’ strike, Cuttack now faces the threat of a counter-agitation by police who are locked in a battle with the legal professionals.

It all started on Wednesday night when a lawyer was allegedly abused and assaulted at Bidanasi police station, prompting a lawyers’ ceasework in the city since Friday.

The Odisha Police Association has now threatened its own agitation if any action is taken against the accused inspector, R.N. Barik, under “pressure” from the lawyers.

The lawyers have boycotted legal proceedings in city courts, including the high court, demanding action against Barik.

The Odisha High Court Bar Association today passed a resolution to continue the ceasework. The resolution followed a joint resolution by the Cuttack Civil Court Bar, the Cuttack Criminal Court Bar and the Board of Revenue Bar Association to continue the strike.

“The ceasework will continue as no action has been taken against the guilty inspector in charge of Bidanasi police station. A decision on the future course of action will be taken on February 25,” Odisha High Court Bar Association secretary Piyush Mishra told The Telegraph today.

But the Odisha Police Association, which represents 7,000 inspectors, sub-inspectors and assistant sub-inspectors, issued a counter threat today.

“We will be forced to launch a state-wide agitation if action is taken against the officer without appropriate inquiry”, the police association president S.N. Sharma told The Telegraph today.

Lawyer Nayan Kishore Biswal said that he had gone to the Bidanasi police station around 10.30 pm on Wednesday night to follow up on an FIR lodged by him against a land broker for heckling him in connection with a land deal. But the inspector in charge of Bidanasi police station allegedly abused and assaulted him.

On the other hand, the police had also registered a complaint against the lawyer by the wife of the land broker for misbehaving with her on Wednesday night.