The Supreme Court Bar Association on Wednesday condemned the “inhuman” police lathi-charge on men and women lawyers at Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, on Tuesday.

Members of the Hapur Bar Association were beaten up while protesting on the roads, accusing the police of filing a false case against a woman advocate under sections dealing with assault and obstructing a policeman from discharging his duties.

In a statement issued here, SCBA honorary secretary Rohit Pandey urged the Bar Council of India and the state bar councils to take steps to ensure that lawyers can function without “intimidation or harassment”.

“The Supreme Court Bar Association strongly condemns the inhumane and violent act of police on advocates in Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, where the women advocates were also not spared from the brutality,” the statement said.

The statement said the SCBA “will not tolerate any attack on the prestige of advocates” and demanded that the Uttar Pradesh government take “immediate steps to”:

Investigate the incident and punish the guilty police officers.

Censure the police officers responsible for the lathi-charge.

Pay compensation to the injured advocates.

Introduce and implement the Advocates Protection Act to shield advocates and their families from such brutality.

Improve law and order and ensure that the police are accountable for their actions.