Bhubaneswar, 11th Oct 2025: In response to the brutal killing of senior advocate and BJP leader Pitabas Panda from Ganjam district, lawyers’ associations from various regions of Odisha have strongly condemned the incident. Several Bar Associations across the state, including Koraput, Kotpad, Borigumma, and Baipariguda, organized pen-down protests and mourning meetings in solidarity with the victim and his family.
Koraput Bar Association
The Koraput Bar Association expressed strong condemnation of the murder and organized a pen-down protest and condolence meeting. They supported the state-wide protest call by the Odisha State Bar Council and demanded:
Immediate arrest of those involved in the murder.
Compensation of ₹1 crore to the deceased lawyer’s family.
The protest was led by Association President Prabhat Mahapatra along with Secretary Sunil Kumar Jena, Vice President Krushnachandra Sang, Treasurer Kamakshya Prasad Majhi, and senior advocates such as Jayanta Mishra, Chandrasekhar Tripathy, Rupak Kumar Turuk, Prashant Patra, N. Govinda, Seema Mishra, Saroj Pattnaik, Manoranjan Rautray, Prashant Mishra, Bubu Pattnaik, Ajit Sahu, Vidyadhar Sahu, Kamal Khura, Tarini Patra, Sujata Nayak, and Rashmita Das. Over a hundred lawyers participated in the protest.
Kotpad Lawyers’ Association
The Kotpad Bar Association also condemned the killing of Pitabas Panda. Supporting calls from the Bar Council of India, State Bar Council, and the State Advocates’ Association, they observed a pen-down strike on Wednesday. The protest included a condolence gathering where members paid homage to the late advocate.
They demanded:
A law ensuring protection for lawyers.
₹1 crore compensation for the bereaved family.
A formal request letter was submitted to both the Chief Minister and the Governor.
Lawyers from both the Kotpad court and tehsil offices participated in the protest.
Borigumma Bar Association
The Borigumma Lawyers’ Association also joined the protest, strongly condemning the killing. They organized a mourning ceremony in the local Tehsil premises to pay respects to Pitabas Panda. Following the directive of the High Court Bar Association, they observed a day-long pen-down protest.
During the tribute ceremony, several notable lawyers, including Bar Association President K. Nagaraj Dora, Prasad Bidika, Lulu Panda, Tutu Panigrahi, and Muna Dora were present. The association demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits.
Baipariguda Bar Association
In Baipariguda, the local lawyers’ association also condemned the incident and held a condolence meeting at the local Dak Bungalow. A garlanding ceremony was held before the photo of the deceased, as members paid tribute.
Following the High Court Bar Association’s call, the Baipariguda Bar also held a one-day pen-down protest. The lawyers demanded swift justice and arrest of the perpetrators. During the condolence meeting, several senior lawyers including Gourachandra Patra, Pradeep Swain, Biswajit Nayak, Biren Mahapatra, Chittaranjan Pal, Dilip Mohanty, Bhubaneswar Panda, and Shubhranshu Shekhar Jena were present.
These collective actions highlight a statewide demand for justice, lawyer protection laws, and immediate legal action in response to what is being seen as a threat to the safety and dignity of legal professionals in Odisha.
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