Kerala: Police cane media inside court complex

The Kerala government has ordered an enquiry into a police attack on reporters inside the district court complex in Thiruvananthapuram today, officials said.

The Kerala government has ordered an enquiry into a police attack on reporters inside the district court complex in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, officials said.

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The mediapersons were reporting a protest march by the Thiruvananthapuram Bar Association when they were cane-charged.

The lawyers, who were agitating against one of their colleagues being roughed up by the police Tuesday, got into a scuffle with some political activists who were campaigning for the forthcoming local polls nearby.

Deputy commissioner of police C Nagaraju, who was trying to control the scuffle, resented being filmed by the camerapersons, which led to the police caning the reporters.

"Nagaraju was an eyewitness to the brutal attack. The media personnel had mikes and identity cards with them, and still they were beaten up," a reporter, who was present in the complex, told IANS.

Four journalists were hospitalised with injuries while three advocates and a policeman were also injured.

Later, the journalists took out a protest march demanding immediate action against the erring police officials.

Kerala Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has asked director general of police Jacob Punnose to conduct an inquiry.