By IANS,
Bangalore : A senior television journalist and a cameraman of a leading English news channel were beaten up Monday in the Karnataka High Court by a group of lawyers protesting the continuation of controversial Chief Justice P.D. Dinakaran, who faces allegations of land-grabbing and amassing disproportionate assets.
The incident occurred in Dinakaran’s courtroom amid chaos when cameraman Venkatesh was talking on his mobile as the lawyers had laid a siege to prevent the proceedings.
As cameras are not allowed inside courtrooms, some lawyers thought Venkatesh was capturing the scuffle that broke out between the advocates on his mobile and started beating him. In the melee, his shirt was torn and he was injured, suffering bruises on his neck and back.
When the journalist, who declined to be named, rushed to Venkatesh’s rescue, he too was assaulted by a group of advocates.
After a miffed Dinakaran left the courtroom in a huff, expressing displeasure over the lawyers’ boycott call, a section of advocates turned their ire on media personnel covering the event.
Condemning the assault, about 60 media persons, including photo-journalists, television cameramen and reporters staged a demonstration outside the high court and called for action against the advocates who beat up Venkatesh and the journalist.
As the high drama and the ugly scenes in the high court premises were relayed on local channels, state Law and Parliamentary Affairs minister S.Suresh Kumar rushed to the spot to inquire into the incident and pacify the media.
Regretting the incident, the minister told reporters the assault on scribes was unfortunate and should not have happened.
“It is not befitting for a noble profession. I will look into the matter and direct the police to nab the culprits,” Kumar said.
A complaint was also filed in the police station against the unidentified advocates who assaulted the duo.
The Advocates Association of Bangalore (AAB), which gave the boycott call, apologised to the media for the unfortunate incident.
“Those lawyers who assaulted Venkatesh and the journalist are not members of our association. In fact, we were protesting against their presence in the courtroom as none of their cases were listed or were being heard by Dinakaran. We have learnt later that about 30-40 advocates, sympathetic to Dinakaran, had assembled in the courtroom to create trouble,” AAB general secretary R. Rajanna told IANS.
In the ensuing chaos, Justices Gopla Gowda and B.V. Nagarathna were also manhandled by a section of the lawyers.