DHARWAD: The lawyers representing the Kashmiri engineering students, arrested on the charges of sedition, were manhandled by the members of Dharwad Bar Association, and the car they had arrived in was damaged by stones pelted by some miscreants.
The lawyers also faced resistance from members of the Hubballi Bar, when they had come to receive documents pertaining to the case. The incident occurred despite the High Court stating that the advocates must be protected.
On Monday a large group of people and Dharwad Bar members gathered at the entrance of the court. They are supposed to file an application with the Principal Sessions Court, seeking bail for the three Kashmiri students, who are in judicial remand in a sedition case.
On reaching the Dharwad court, the public as well as Bar members raised slogans against the lawyers and tried to prevent them from entering the court complex.
The ruckus continued in the courtroom, with some Bar members raising slogans there too, but judge Ishappa Bhote cautioned the members. However, the lawyers failed to file the bail application, as they did not have necessary document.
The advocates who arrived from Bengaluru failed to get the file stitched in court and left to get it prepared. While they were travelling in the vehicle with security to get the file stitched, a few people pelted stones on their car, which resulted in its rear windshield breaking. Police brought the situation under control.
Sources in the court claimed that the advocates might come back again to file the petition, maybe on Tuesday.
A total of 406 policemen surrounded the court. Police Commissioner R Dilip himself was seen on the ground to ensure security, following the direction of the High Court to the Hubballi-Dharwad police to provide security for advocates who appear on behalf of the arrested Kashmiri students.