New Delhi, October 13, 2011: In New Delhi, a well known Indian lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan was ruthlessly beaten up by the members of a Hindu outfit in his Supreme Court lawyers’ chambers in New Delhi on Wednesday on his stand on Jammu and Kashmir.
Bhushan, a prominent Team Anna member was speaking to a Times Now TV news channel when three activists belonging to a outfit named Bhagat Singh Kranti Sena barged into the New Lawyers Chamber opposite Indian Supreme Court and started assaulting him. The lawyer was pulled out of the chair, slapped, dragged and repeatedly punched. He was pinned down on the floor and kicked on his chest. Mr. Bhushan’s shirt was torn and his spectacles fell when he was roughed up. As his staff and others gathered, one of the two attackers managed to escape while another was caught by them and handed over to police. Mr. Bhushan was later taken to the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital.
The staff of the Lawyer and others from the New Lawyers Chamber immediately came to the rescue and nabbed one of the attackers while the other two managed to escape. The attacker was handed over to the Police and was later identified as Inder Verma residing at Nangloi in New Delhi.
Bhushan was rushed to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital after the attack. Reportedly, the activist had attacked Bhushan for his comment on removal of black law, Armed Force Special Powers Act from Kashmir.
After the attack, Bhushan said it appeared that the men targeted him for his stand on Jammu and Kashmir.
"They were saying that I have made some comments on Kashmir to which they were taking objection. I have said that a referendum should be held in Kashmir," he said.
"They were saying that I have made some comments on Kashmir to which they were taking objection. I have said that a referendum should be held in Kashmir," Bhushan said after the attack.
Meanwhile, the outfit taking responsibility of the attack updated it Facebook page claiming responsibility for the attack.
"We hit prashant bhushan hard in his chamber in supreme court. If u will try to break my nation, I will break ur heads," the Facebook update claimed.
The Delhi Police has registered an FIR against the arrested person and are investigating the case.
.
The youths had entered his office claiming that they had an appointment with Mr. Bhushan, a prominent Team Anna member who is in the forefront of the fight for a strong Lokpal. After the attack, Bhushan said it appeared that the youths targeted him for his stand on Jammu and Kashmir.
“They were saying that I have made some comments on Kashmir to which they were taking objection. I have said that a referendum should be held in Kashmir,” he said.
A case has been registered and one person has been arrested. Reacting to the attack, activist Kiran Bedi said it was absolutely shocking and shameful. “I am very distressed. But you got evidence, I think these people will be in jail for a long time now. “It shows the amount of intolerance level we have reached. I don’t know what they are him up for, but they don’t know they are beating up such a good man who continues to work for the community day in and day out,” Bedi said.
One of the attackers slapped, dragged and punched Bhushan repeatedly. The attacker pinned him down on the floor and kicked on his chest. As the staff and others gathered, one of the two attackers managed to escape while the other was caught and handed over to the police. The attackers entered Prashant Bhushan's office claiming that they had an appointment with him. After the attack, Bhushan said it appeared that the men targeted him for his stand on Jammu and Kashmir.
"They were saying that I have made some comments on Kashmir to which they were taking objection. I have said that a referendum should be held in Kashmir," he said.
Delhi Police have registered a case and one person has been arrested. Home minister P Chidambaram has condemned the attack on Prashant Bhushan. He said Delhi police was looking for the second attacker.
According to Times Now, the two attackers belong to Bhagat Singh Kranti Sena. The attackers told Times Now that they were provoked by Bhushan's comments on Kashmir. Bhushan filed an FIR against the attackers. He has been taken to Ram Manohar Lohia hospital for check-up and treatment. In an earlier interview, Prashant had reportedly said that the Kashmiri people should be given 'azadi' if they don't want to live with India. He had also reportedly recommended that withdrawl of Indian army from Kashmir.