Kerala: Journalists including women beaten, asked to leave court by lawyers

Thiruvananthapuram: A group of journalists, including women, were threatened and manhandled on Friday while reporting the proceedings at the enquiry commissioner and Special Court on a petition against nepotism by E.P. Jayarajan.

The incident in a court room occurred just three days after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was reportedly assured by the High Court Chief Justice Mohan M. Shantanagoudar that there would be protection for journalists who turn up for reporting at the High Court.

A few journalists turned up at the court by around 11 am to report the court proceedings. They were standing inside the court room. As the court started considering the petition against Mr Jayarajan, some lawyers asked the journalists to vacate the court room. The women journalists, Justina Thomas of Manorama News and C.P. Ajitha of Asianet, who were standing near the judge's chamber even sought protection. However, they had to be vacated from the court room as the lawyers threatened of dire consequences.

Senior journalists J. Ramakrishnan of Press Trust of India and Prabhat Nair of The New Indian Express were forcibly pushed out of the court room by lawyers. Mr Prabhat was even slapped on the face by a lawyer in the court corridor and threatened.

A section of lawyers pelted stones at journalists and outdoor broadcasting vans of television channels. The journalists were taken out of the court premises with police protection.

Though the journalists immediately brought the matter to the notice of city police commissioner Sparjan Kumar, no case was registered till Friday evening.

Meanwhile, there were allegations that the attack on journalists on Friday was instigated by some lawyers owing allegiance to pro-Left organisations.