Shoot-at-sight order in Tamil Nadu

To maintain law and order infringed after the violent clashes between police and lawyers in the Madras High Court premises and the strayed incidents on Friday, police in Tamil Nadu has issued shoot-at-sight orders against those found to be involved in damaging public properties and creating disturbance to general public.

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This apart, attempt to murder cases were also filed against 150 lawyers involved in the Thursday’s clash in the premises of Madras High Court.

A release issued from the DGP’s office stated last night that district SPs have been empowered to maintain order and take appropriate action against the law violators found to be involved in damaging vehicles, public properties or in other illegal activities.

“Some anti-social elements were using Thursday’s incidents to damage public property and char vehicles,” the release said. Stray incidents of violence by lawyers reported across the state yesterday protesting police action against their colleague Thursday. Some agitating lawyers torched a fire brigade jeep outside the Madras HC complex and also laid siege to the building refusing to move out for about an hour on Friday despite several warnings from the police.

The rising tension forced the Madras High Court acting Chief Justice SJ Mukhopadhyay to step in to control the situation.

DGP K P Jain earlier on Friday absolved his men saying they did not use too much force and exercised a lot of restraint. A CBI inquiry has already been ordered in the matter by the Madras High Court.

Meanwhile, the opposition in the State Assembly created uproar in the House on Thursday’s incidents demanding action against the policemen involved in the violence, removal of top cops and the dissolution of the government.

Speaker R Avudiyappan ordered the eviction of slogan-raising members of AIADMK, MDMK, CPI and CPM who had stalled proceedings demanding a debate on Thursday’s incident and ignored the repeated request to maintain peace in the Assembly.

The violence on Thursday broke out after police on Thursday arrested some of the lawyers on the charge of assaulting Janata Party president Subramaniam Swamy in the court (Tuesday). Exchange of harsh words between the two sides soon resulted into fierce clash after lawyers started pelting stones on police and the latter then retaliated with batons and tear gas. Swamy was accused by the lawyers for passing derogatory remarks against lawyers and being detractor of the LTTE.

A judge, lawyers and many police personnel were injured in the violent clash.