JNU Students’ Union Kanhaiya Kumar assaulted despite SC fiat

A lawyer (centre), who spoke to the media in support of JNUSU leader Kanhaiya Kumar, is assaulted by other lawyers outside Patiala House courts in New Delhi on Wednesday. — AP

JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar was on Wednesday again physically assaulted in the Patiala House court complex just minutes before he could be taken to the courtroom. Journalists and students were again targeted by a group of lawyers.

Mr Kumar was brought in the court amid high security at about 2.40 pm. He was being escorted by a special team of South Delhi police being led by ACP (operations) Rajender Singh. The police also clashed with a few photojournalists who got injured while taking photographs of Mr Kumar. Even as the Supreme Court had asked the police to ensure Mr Kumar’s safety, he was beaten up by a group of lawyers. The police did not let anyone enter the court except five journalists whose names were shortlisted by the Supreme Court of India.

Even as the police personnel in large numbers were deployed inside and outside the court premises to avoid any untoward incidents, a group of male lawyers managed to reach up to Mr Kumar and beat him up. They also allegedly dragged him by his hair while he was being taken inside the courtroom. The violent lawyers also tried to slap and kick him, but the police somehow saved Mr Kumar and finally took him inside the courtroom where he was produced before metropolitan magistrate Lovleen.

The high-level pandemonium outside the courtroom went on till late afternoon as the lawyers allegedly hurled stones at mediapersons. One of the stones hit the camera of a news agency photographer while he was trying to take a picture of the protesting men wearing lawyers’ robes. Senior Congress leader and lawyer Kapil Sibal, who was appointed by the Supreme Court along with five other advocates, to visit the Patiala House court to observe the situation there and report back, had to face the ire of protesters.

However, he was not manhandled by anyone. The protesting lawyers also allegedly pelted a few stones at the TV journalists assembled outside the Gate Number 2 of Patiala House court. Luckily, no one was hurt in the incident.

Earlier in the day, Tariq Anwar, a reporter working with a web portal, was also allegedly beaten up by the protesting lawyers. Mr Anwar alleged that the police personnel did not try to save him and stood at the scene as mute spectators. Mr Anwar had an argument with the lawyers when he was trying to enter courtroom.

An advocate, claiming to be the defence counsel of Mr Kumar, was also brutally thrashed by the men dressed in lawyers’ robes. The lawyer, who identified himself as Narender, claimed that he had come to defend Mr Kumar but he was thrashed and thrown out of the court as he had forgotten to carry his identity card.

However, when this newspaper tried to ascertain the name of Mr Kumar’s defence counsel, it turned out to be senior Supreme Court advocate Vrinda Grover.