'Bangalore courts to stay closed today'

All courts in Bangalore will remain closed today after advocates attacked media persons in the Bangalore civil court on Friday during the hearing of an illegal mining case against former minister and mining baron G Janardhana Reddy.

All courts in Bangalore will remain closed on Saturday after Friday's violence, according to media reports. Advocates attacked media persons in the Bangalore civil court on Friday morning during the hearing of an illegal mining case against former minister and mining baron G Janardhana Reddy.

The attack left 32 cops - including a deputy commissioner of police - 10 journalists, seven advocates injured.

To curb violence - which started around 11 am and continued till late in the evening - the police lobbed teargas shells and baton-charged the protestors. Besides, prohibitory orders were imposed in and around the court complex for two days.

Even as city police chief Jyoti Prakash Mirji failed to bring the situation under control, chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda pleaded ignorance about the incident, saying he would ask law minister Suresh Kumar to look into the matter.

But when home minister R Ashok informed Gowda about the incident, he said, "I have asked the home minister to take action and initiate steps to protect journalists."