Lawyers on Tuesday decided to intensify their agitation for a high court bench in the town following their successful 24-hour strike observed on Monday.

The lawyers have called for a week-long closure of all major government offices, including the collectorate, tehsil office and the courts in the district, from Tuesday.

The joint action committee and the lawyers on Tuesday also staged a demonstration outside the district collectorate and the civil courts and ensured closure of the collectorate and tehsil office.

District bar association president Ashok Kumar Mohanty said: “We intensified the agitation by closing down the courts and other government offices in the district from Tuesday. It will continue till December 10. The agitation will go on till the demand is fulfilled.”

Committee convener Lalit Nayak said: “The government must listen to the demand for the bench in Balangir without any delay or there will be violent agitation for which the government will remain responsible.”

On Monday, life was thrown out of gear in the district in view of the strike. Shops, educational institutions, government and non-government offices, business establishments and markets were closed and vehicles remained off the roads.

Train movement was also disrupted as the lawyers staged a rail roko at Balangir railway station leading to cancellation and diversion of many trains running through the district. Many leaders from the Congress, BJD and the BJP as well as local people and 200 workers’ and social organisations extended their support to the strike.