Police and lawyers clashed on the premises of North Delhi’s Tis Hazari Courts on Saturday afternoon, with the cops allegedly opening fire in which a lawyer was injured. The Bar associations of the district courts in the capital have called for a strike on Monday.

The police said cops had fired in the air in self-defence and for the safety of undertrials.

Sources said a lawyer named Vijay had got into an argument with personnel of the 3rd Battalion of the Delhi Armed Police following a traffic dispute. The quarrel snowballed into a scuffle, during which officers allegedly beat up the lawyer. Later, a policeman allegedly fired from his pistol when a group of lawyers charged at a senior officer.

Police sources said 20 officers, including additional DCP Harinder Singh, were injured and 17 vehicles vandalised.

The Bar Council of India has demanded the arrest of the “guilty” policemen.