Shops in Sambalpur shut down following the strike called by the lawyers. Telegraph picture

Sambalpur, April 25: Life was paralysed in the city because of the dawn-to-dusk strike, called by lawyers demanding removal of district collector Mrinalini Darswal holding her responsible for Monday’s violence.

Expressing solidarity with their colleague, a delegation of IAS officers of the state met chief minister Naveen Patnaik at the secretariat in Bhubaneswar and demanded stringent action against those involved in her assault.

Yesterday, Naveen ordered a crime branch probe into the incident and said the law would “take its course”.

In Sambalpur, all the government offices, courts, banks, markets, shops, commercial establishments were closed during the shutdown. However, the educational institutions and examination centres were spared from the strike and the vehicular movement was also normal.

The shutdown passed off peacefully. “No untoward incident was reported during the strike,” said additional superintendent of police Dilip Kumar Deo.

Elaborate police arrangements had been made to maintain law and order during the shutdown. Twenty-five platoons of police forces were deployed in the city.

The Sambalpur Bar Association said the strike was successful. “We had called for the strike, demanding dismissal of the collector. People have spontaneously supported the call,” said association president Pramod Rath.

Rath said: “It would have been better had the government ordered judicial inquiry into the incident.”

“Since the collector was a party in the incident, the government should have first placed her under suspension to ensure a free and fair probe,” he said.

The Utha Dokani Sangha, which represents the roadside vendors, organised a rally to support the call. “We condemn the collector’s behaviour towards the lawyers. The lawyers’ demand to dismiss the collector is justified,” said Sangh president Satish Bishi.

Yesterday, the government employees of the district threatened that they would resort to ceasework if legal action were not taken against the lawyers within 24 hours.

“We have convened a meet in the evening to decide our future course of action,” said additional district magistrate Madhab Chandra Bariha.