Taking serious note of Tuesday's seven-hour protest by a section of advocates, which brought the city's central business district to a halt, the police on Wednesday booked two criminal cases against 30 “unidentified” advocates who allegedly blocked the busy Kempe Gowda Road besides misbehaving with the public as well as government servants (read the police).
Public invited
Senior officers said the police will seek the help of the media to track down the errant advocates. “We will seek video clippings and photographs taken by the media to identify those who took the law into their hands. We will invite the members of the public, who were at the receiving end of the advocates' ire, to file complaints. We will ensure adequate security to them,” a police official said.
Meanwhile, the Ulsoor Gate police filed the cases (Crime Nos. 22/2012 and 23/2013) under the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act 1984.
A section of advocates blocked traffic in the vicinity of the Mysore Bank Circle on Tuesday demanding action against the constable who allegedly assaulted one of their colleagues, Balakrishna, for violating traffic rules on Sunday. The blockade had a cascading effect, and a large number of vehicles were stranded for nearly seven hours, bringing misery to commuters, schoolchildren, patients in ambulances, pregnant women and persons with disabilities.
The protest was orchestrated without police permission and the advocates allegedly assaulted several members of the public who had objected to their action. The roadblock and the police inaction came under fire from almost all sections of society who demanded that the advocates be made to face the consequences.
Bidari's summons
On Wednesday morning, Director-General and Inspector-General of Police Shankar M. Bidari summoned senior police officials and, after discussions, directed them to book the errant advocates. “The police will book criminal cases against the advocates who held the city to ransom on Tuesday,” Mr. Bidari told presspersons.
Blocking busy roads, disrupting routine life of the public and holding up traffic for more than five minutes are punishable offences, said a Deputy Superintendent of Police, who didn't want to be named. The police later consulted legal experts and filed the cases, Mr. Bidari added.
City Police Commissioner B.G. Jyothi Prakash Mirji submitted a 20-page report on Tuesday's happenings to Mr. Bidari on Wednesday.
“Investigation has just started and we will shortly arrest the culprits. We are also contemplating questioning senior advocates and officer-bearers of their association who led the protest,” a top police officer said.
Cautious response
Home Minister R. Ashok on Wednesday deplored Tuesday's mayhem but desisted from announcing any action against the advocates, choosing to only say the issue would be resolved through dialogue with them by DG & IGP Shankar Bidari.
“Those who know and practise law should not have resorted to the act that resulted in commuters getting stranded for six to seven hours on the road,” he told presspersons.
He also wondered why the man at the centre of the controversy, advocate Balakrishna, did not raise his alleged assault with the magistrate when he was produced before him. “The advocates could have approached the City Police Commissioner,” he said.
