Lawyers stay away from courts in Thiruvananthapuram over traffic police attack

Lawyers stayed away from courts across the Thiruvananthapuram district on Friday to protest the city police not suspending an officer who allegedly hit a senior lawyer. The protest follows an incident on Thursday near the Kerala Administrative Tribunal in Vanchiyoor, where a senior civil police officer from the Thiruvananthapuram City Traffic Police allegedly attacked K.P. Jayachandran. Mr. Jayachandran is the former Additional Advocate General, the state president of the Indian Association of Lawyers, a former president of the Thiruvananthapuram Bar Association, and a current member of the Kerala Bar Council. Mr. Jayachandran stated in his complaint that the officer was taking photos of vehicles parked on the roadside. When the lawyer asked why he was doing this, the officer allegedly hit him and shouted abuses at him. Meanwhile, the Vanchiyoor police stated that the officer did nothing wrong, though they are looking into the complaint. An official noted that a case had not been registered yet.

Protests

A protest rally took place at the Vanchiyoor Court complex under the guidance of the Thiruvananthapuram Bar Association. Association president G. Gopidas, vice-president Anitha Aji, and leaders of other groups led the march. The protesting lawyers demanded the immediate suspension of the traffic police officer and asked for a departmental inquiry into the incident.

Context

Disputes between legal professionals and law enforcement personnel often lead to court boycotts and protests in various parts of the country. When lawyers stop attending court work, judicial proceedings in lower courts and tribunals face immediate delays. Such actions highlight the ongoing tension between advocates and police forces regarding public conduct and official duties.