At least 20 mediapersons and police personnel were injured when they were attacked by unruly lawyers in the city civil court complex premises here on Friday, after which the government ordered a judicial probe into it.
The court complex turned into a battle zone as the rampaging advocates targeted journalists, particularly electronic media crew, who had gathered to cover the appearance of mining baron G. Janardhana Reddy before a court in an illegal mining case.
Outside the court, it was a surcharged atmosphere as some lawyers went on an attacking spree identifying visual media personnel, snatched their cameras and abused them, objecting to the media presence.
Lawlessness took over as lawyers hurled stones, chairs and water bottles at the police and public alike and torched some vehicles, including a police van, in front of a police outpost in the court premises.
The posse of policemen posted for security were gripped by inertia initially but burst teargas shells and lathicharged the lawyers after the cops themselves became targets.
The city police promulgated prohibitory orders around the complex till Saturday but have not made any arrest so far.
Describing the attack as “shameful and dastardly”, chief minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda announced a judicial probe and said government would not compromise on taking action against guilty lawyers. Before all hell broke loose, some advocates objected to the presence of journalists inside the designated court hall even before Reddy was produced and Judge B.M. Angadi asked the scribes to vacate.
Mediapersons staged a dharna in front of Vidhana Soudha, the state secretariat, condemning the attack and were joined by their counterparts across the state. Soon, the public too gave vent to their anger and staged a protest at the civil court against advocates.
The lawyers turned their ire against mediapersons as they were also stated to be unhappy about the news coverage of a protest staged by them in January, which had caused a huge traffic gridlock in the nerve centre of the city and earned the public anger.