Prayagraj Tensions Escalate: Lawyers Continue Road Blockade Over SRN Hospital Assault Case, Public Faces Massive Disruption

The standoff between lawyers and junior doctors in Prayagraj intensified further on Thursday as protesting advocates once again blocked roads near Eklavya Chauraha, demanding the arrest of junior doctors accused of assaulting women lawyers inside the Trauma Centre of SRN Hospital.

The protest, which entered its second consecutive day, severely disrupted movement across the city and caused immense inconvenience to ordinary citizens already struggling under extreme summer heat conditions.

Long traffic snarls were witnessed around the High Court area and adjoining roads as lawyers continued their agitation, insisting that strict and immediate action be taken against those allegedly involved in the assault.

Lawyers Demand Arrest of Junior Doctors

The protest stems from the controversial clash that took place earlier this week inside the Trauma Centre of SRN Hospital, where women advocates allegedly faced assault and misbehaviour during a confrontation involving junior doctors.

Since then, the legal fraternity has been demanding:

• Immediate arrests of the accused doctors
• Registration of strict criminal charges
• Assurances regarding the safety and dignity of advocates

Lawyers participating in the demonstration argued that failure to act promptly would send the wrong message and weaken confidence in the administration.

Many protesters accused the authorities of delaying action despite the seriousness of the allegations.

Road Blockade Paralyses Traffic Movement

The continued chakka jam near Eklavya Chauraha brought traffic movement in several key parts of Prayagraj to a near standstill.

Commuters travelling through the Civil Lines and High Court zones remained trapped for hours as diverted traffic created heavy congestion across connecting routes.

The disruption proved especially difficult because of the intense heatwave conditions prevailing in the city.

Residents, office workers, litigants, patients and students were among those forced to endure long delays in sweltering temperatures.

Several motorists expressed frustration that a dispute between two professional groups had begun affecting the daily lives of thousands of ordinary people.

High Court Functioning Adjusted Due to Protest

The impact of the protest also reached the functioning of the Allahabad High Court.

According to sources, Rakesh Pandey urged the bench of senior Justice M C Tripathi and Justice Kunal Ravi Singh to adopt a “no adverse order” approach, considering the severe disruption caused by the blockade and protests.

Following the request, court proceedings reportedly functioned according to avoid hardship for litigants and lawyers affected by the situation.

Affidavit Centre and Counters Shut Down

As the protest intensified further during the afternoon, lawyers also shut down the photo affidavit centre and nearby counters operating within the court premises.

This added another layer of disruption to legal and administrative work in the High Court area.

Litigants visiting the court for routine legal documentation and filing formalities reportedly faced difficulties due to the closure of these facilities.

Women Lawyers Tried to Seek Judicial Intervention

During the day, the women advocates allegedly affected in the SRN Hospital incident, accompanied by several lawyers, attempted to approach a court seeking urgent judicial intervention through a letter petition.

They reportedly requested the court to take suo motu cognisance of the matter and intervene regarding the alleged assault.

However, because the issue had already been heard earlier by another division bench, the attempt did not move forward immediately, leaving the advocates disappointed.

The episode reflected the growing urgency within sections of the legal community for direct judicial monitoring of the matter.

Brief Panic After Officer Mistaken for Doctor

The tense atmosphere inside the High Court premises also led to a brief moment of confusion and panic.

According to eyewitnesses, some lawyers spotted an official wearing a white shirt and mistakenly believed he was one of the doctors involved in the dispute.

A group of advocates reportedly began chasing him before the misunderstanding was clarified in time.

Fortunately, the situation did not escalate further once his identity became clear.

The incident nevertheless highlighted the emotionally charged environment prevailing around the controversy.

Bar Association Distances Itself From Road Blockade

Interestingly, the leadership of the High Court Bar Association attempted to distance itself officially from the road blockade.

When asked about the traffic disruption and protest tactics, Bar Association President Rakesh Pandey and the General Secretary clarified that the chakka jam had not been formally called by the association itself.

According to them, the Bar Association was instead trying to resolve the matter through discussions with administrative officials and was working toward a constructive solution.

Their statement suggested that while many lawyers were participating in the agitation, the association leadership was also conscious of the inconvenience being caused to the public and court functioning.

Public Continues to Suffer Amid Institutional Clash

As the confrontation between lawyers and junior doctors deepens, ordinary citizens remain the biggest sufferers.

Over the past two days:

• Traffic movement has been severely affected
• Court-related work has slowed down
• Hospital services have faced disruption
• Patients and commuters have endured significant hardship

The ongoing tension has effectively paralysed parts of Prayagraj’s healthcare and judicial ecosystem simultaneously.

Administration Under Pressure to Resolve Crisis

Police and district authorities are now under increasing pressure to prevent the situation from spiralling further.

Officials are attempting to maintain a delicate balance as both influential professional groups — lawyers and doctors — continue accusing each other and demanding immediate action.

Security deployment around:

• SRN Hospital
• High Court premises
• Protest sites
• Sensitive intersections

has reportedly been strengthened to avoid any fresh confrontation.

Larger Concerns Emerging

The incident has once again highlighted broader concerns surrounding:

• Workplace violence in hospitals
• Professional conflicts escalating publicly
• Pressure tactics through strikes and blockades
• Public inconvenience during institutional disputes

Observers say the situation is particularly worrying because both healthcare and legal services are essential public institutions, and prolonged confrontation between them directly affects ordinary citizens who have no connection to the dispute itself.

City Waits for Breakthrough

As Thursday ended without a clear resolution, uncertainty continued to loom over Prayagraj.

Lawyers remained firm on their demand for arrests and strict action, while junior doctors also continued expressing anger over alleged inaction on their complaints.

With tensions still high, authorities now face the difficult challenge of restoring order, rebuilding trust between both sides and ensuring that public life in Prayagraj returns to normal before the crisis deepens even further.