Four lawyers held for attack on Bengaluru journalists

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Four lawyers were arrested late Saturday for their suspected involvement in a violent attack the day before on journalists and policemen at the city civil court complex, police said.

"We have so far arrested four advocates under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for their suspected involvement in the violent incidents at the court complex on Friday in which several journalists and policemen were attacked, vehicles were damaged and media equipment was destroyed," Bengaluru Police Commissioner B.G. Jyothiprakash Mirji told reporters here.

The arrested lawyers are A.P. Ranganath, Somesh, Arun Naik and Santosh. Ranganath is general secretary of the Advocates Association of Bengaluru.

The accused were presented before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Manjunath for remand.

"We have registered 31 cases against 25 advocates and others, some more arrests are likely soon. A special team has been formed to investigate the violent incidents in which 57 policemen, a dozen journalists, cameramen of news channels and photographers were injured," Mirji said.

"We will arrest all those suspected to have attacked media persons and policemen on duty. There is no pressure on us to spare anyone as we have taken serious view of the incidents to prevent such recurrence to maintain peace and law and order," Mirji said.

The attack took place when about 100 media persons were present at the court complex to cover the appearance of tainted former state minister and mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy in a court for his alleged involvement in the multi-crore rupee mining scam in the state.