Bhubaneswar: The Odisha State Bar Council has strongly condemned the brutal murder of senior advocate Pitabash Panda and announced a statewide pen-down strike on Wednesday in protest.
Council President Sitanshu Mohan Dwivedi said that Panda, who was a member of the Odisha State Bar Council and had been elected with the highest number of votes, was killed by two unidentified assailants in front of his residence.
In a statement, Dwivedi said the legal fraternity is deeply shocked by the incident and demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits, a judicial inquiry, and ₹1 crore compensation for the bereaved family.
“Lawyers across the state will abstain from work on Wednesday as a mark of respect and protest. This will be the highest tribute we can pay to our departed colleague,” Dwivedi stated.
After visiting Berhampur, where the incident occurred, representatives of the State Bar Council reiterated that the government must act swiftly to ensure justice and extend financial support to the victim’s family.
The murder of the senior advocate has sparked outrage among legal professionals across Odisha, who have called for enhanced security measures for members of the bar and strict punishment for the perpetrators.
