Kochi: Kochi city police on Thursday registered a case against a group of lawyers for verbally abusing and detaining a woman journalist at Ernakulam district court complex. Manju Kuttikrishnan, senior reporter with Desabhimani daily, had registered a complaint with the Central police station. The complaint said that the group of lawyers obstructed five journalists-three of them women, including Ms. Manju on Wednesday when they reached the court to report Perumbavoor rape and murder case. They also showered abuses at them, the complaint said.
The cops registered the case under 294 (B) (whoever recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place) and 506 (1) (punishment for criminal intimidation) and other relevant sections. Though the Kerala High Court and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had repeatedly assured the journalists that they would be able to work safely and freely at courts, a section of lawyers is still objecting to the entry of reporters to the courts.
