A scuffle ensued between lawyers and police during a rally taken out by the former here on Saturday pressing for their longstanding demand of setting up of a permanent Bench of the Orissa High Court (HC) in western Odisha.

The lawyers had the faceoff with the cops when the latter tried to prevent them from staging the rally near Church Chhak.

Holding black flags and wearing badges, the lawyer also opposed Finance Minister Sashi Bhusan Behera’s scheduled visit to the city to attend a programme at the GM University on the day.

Besides, the lawyers threatened that they would not allow entry of any State or Union Minister to the city until their demand is fulfilled.

Later, the police took over a hundred agitating lawyers into preventive custody apprehending further troubles.

Lawyers, police clash in Sambalpur