VARANASI, Sept. 21 -- Lawyers on Saturday boycotted judicial work and were on strike on Saturday in protest against registration of an FIR against 10 lawyers who allegedly beat a sub inspector on the court premises here on Tuesday. Many lawyers sported black bands and handcuffed themselves during the protest, demanding withdrawal of the FIR. Former president, Banaras Bar Association, Rajesh Mishra, said that the presidents of bar associations of around 20 districts extended their support to the strike, and many of them attended a meeting of the Bar Association, Varanasi. Mishra said that if the FIR is not withdrawn, the strike will continue. Advocate Vikas Singh said: "We lawyers are not afraid. The police are threatening to file false cases against us and arrest us, but we are prepared to go to jail. Today's protest is symbolic; the agitation will be intensified in the future." Amidst the protest by the lawyers, Central Bar Association president Manglesh Dubey said that "if the lawyers had actually been given the respect of 'Officer of the Court', then such unpleasant incidents would not have happened." Dubey alleged that the police and administration often treat the lawyers in a step-motherly and hostile manner. He alleged that in several districts, including Varanasi, complaints from lawyers are ignored. Dubey cited two recent cases in which lawyers were allegedly assaulted and harassed. In one case, land was seized and a lawyer was confined in a lockup, while in the other, a respectable lawyer and his wife were severely injured after being assaulted by the police, he alleged. He alleged that when the lawyer community protested, the police conspired to counterattack and pressure the community. Dubey said that if the administration had taken strict action in time, the situation would not have escalated. Uttar Pradesh Congress committee president Ajay Rai has demanded that the Central and state governments should immediately intervene and initiate a process of dialogue between lawyers, police administration and judicial officers. Rai has written a letter to Prime minister Narendra Modi demanding his intervention to address the matter. MLC Ashutosh Sinha has also written a letter to chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in this connection. Sinha requested the CM to pay immediate attention to this serious issue and take appropriate steps and ensure peace, security and law and order in the state....