Journalism of Courage
A day after a youth was murdered on the Pune district court premises in Shivajinagar,the Pune Bar Association (PBA) on Friday demanded an independent police station on the court premises.
The demand was made at a meeting on Friday called by newly appointed principal district judge Madan Joshi and attended by Commissioner of Police Satyapal Singh,senior police officers and PBA office bearers.
We have also decided to shift out few offices from the court to vacant government buildings in Shivajinagar. This will help in better organisation, said a senior judicial officer. He also added that the police commissioner has promised to depute a police inspector exclusively for the court.
Other demands forwarded by the PBA include construction of a compound wall for the court instead of the iron fencing,installation of close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras on court premises,allowing vehicles of only judges,lawyers,court staff and journalists in the court and installation of more metal detectors along with adequate police personnel to monitor the metal detector.
The incident of alleged manhandling of the lady lawyer on Thursday took place near the metal detector in the courts new building. The assailants carried weapons in the court only because there were no police personnel to monitor the metal detector, said Milind Pawar,PBA president.
According to joint commissioner of police (law and order) Rajendra Sonawane,126 police personnel were to be deputed at Shivajinagar court,recruitment for which is in process. As of now,only about 60 policemen are deputed in the court on a particular day, Pawar said. While there is a Shivajinagar court police chowky on the court premises,Pawar said it is mostly vacant as it lacks basic facilities like drinking water and table.
To start with,the PBA wants to sort out the parking issue. We shall not allow litigants vehicles by June first week,when the court opens after vacation, Pawar said. Meanwhile,the PBA condemned the attack on the lawyer. The association has planned a march to the Collectors office on Monday.
Previous Cases
PBA president Milind Pawar said at least two murders have taken place in Shivajinagar court till date one in 1987 beside the lawyers chambers and the other in 1998 near central bar room. Three murders have taken place on the road outside the court premises,he said.
