30 people were injured as advocates clash with media and police personnel at Bangalore civil court.
Junior lawyers went berserk attacking journalists and police men at the city civil court complex here on Friday when former minister and mining baron G Janardhana Reddy was being brought for hearing.
At least 30 people, including a dozen police personnel and 15 journalists, were wounded in the ensuing violence.
As TV crews rushed towards Reddy when his convoy entered the court premises, about 10 junior advocates, in what appeared to be well-planned action, lifted three camera tripods and threw them at the media men. As a clash broke out between junior lawyers and media men, the police whisked away Reddy.
Advocates fought pitched battles first with journalists, and then with the police, which saw nine vehicles being gutted or damaged. Outdoor broadcasting (OB) vans of two Kannada news channels were among those damaged.
The police fired tear gas shells and fired in the air in a futile attempt to bring the situation under control.
The violence seemed to be sequel to the January 17 clash when journalists and police were attacked during a lawyers’ protest. The lawyers were protesting against three of their colleagues being allegedly beaten up by the police.
Unconfirmed reports also said an advocate died due to cardiac arrest during the violence. However, no deaths among policemen or media men has been reported, nor any arrest been made.
Around noon, the violence reached its peak when a dispute between two advocates over car parking issue made a few TV journalists the target of attack of lawyers present there.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) G Ramesh, who led a posse of policemen to quell the violence, himself came under attack. A large stone struck his head and he was immediately rushed to hospital.
Chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda, after a meeting with home minister and senior police officials, ordered a judicial probe into the violence.
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