An alleged attack on the Kolkata residence of veteran lawyer and former Rajya Sabha MP Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya has triggered concern among legal organisations and prompted lawyers to seek the Calcutta High Court’s intervention over the safety of advocates and their families.
According to allegations reported by The Statesman, unidentified people hurled bottles at Bhattacharya’s residence in the early hours of Thursday, breaking window panes and allegedly abusing the occupants. The incident has not been independently confirmed in the material available, and the identities of those responsible were not established in the report.
The All India Lawyers Association for Justice (AILAJ) condemned the incident and described it as part of what it called a disturbing sequence of attacks on lawyers in Bengal. The organisation referred to the alleged assault on advocate Sayan Banerjee at the Baruipur court premises on 22 September and the reported attack on lawyer Shamim Ahmed and others on 3 October.
AILAJ alleged that repeated attacks were intended to create fear among lawyers and discourage ordinary citizens from approaching courts for redress. It also questioned the role of the police and administration, alleging that official silence was encouraging unlawful activity. The organisation called for the immediate identification and arrest of those responsible, exemplary punishment and action against police and administrative officials allegedly responsible for protecting the attackers.
The association also demanded action against BJP leaders over what it described as provocative remarks and called for the enactment of an Advocates’ Protection Act in West Bengal. These demands were made in the organisation’s statement and were not accompanied by an independent official response in the supplied report.
The issue was raised before the Calcutta High Court on Thursday. Lawyers sought the court’s intervention over the alleged attacks, while senior advocate and Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee said lawyers opposing the government were in a “terrible situation”. He indicated that members of the legal fraternity were considering a cease-work agitation.
Chief Justice Rabindra V. Ghuge said he would ultimately oppose such a move, identifying himself as a lawyer and urging the legal fraternity to maintain faith in the judiciary. Banerjee told the court that the issue extended beyond lawyers and alleged that “goons from outside” were attacking them. He also said the families of lawyers were living in fear and questioned the actions of the police and intelligence agencies.
The Advocate General assured the court that the police would take necessary action. During the proceedings, Banerjee referred to the reported attack on Shamim Ahmed, saying that an FIR had been registered but questioning what action had followed. Ahmed also expressed concern over the law-and-order situation.
The Chief Justice observed that the alleged incidents should be properly investigated. The court’s comments and the Advocate General’s assurance were the latest official developments reported in connection with the concerns raised by lawyers.
