Photojournalist manhandled by lawyers for taking pictures of accused in Kerala court

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], August 10 : After a brief lull, the issues between lawyers and journalist regarding covering court cases in the state capital is back on the spotlight after lawyers allegedly manhandled a photojournalist working for a vernacular newspaper here on Monday for taking pictures on Vanchiyoor Court premises.
The incident happened when Sivaji, a photojournalist working for the Malayalam newspaper 'Siraj' tried to click pictures of Sriram Venkitaraman IAS and Wafa Firoz, accused in the death of journalist KM Basheer, in a hit and run case, returned after appearing in the trial court.
The special investigation team had submitted a charge sheet in the case in an incident pertaining to August 3, 2019, when the car drove by Kerala IAS official Sriram Venkataraman allegedly in an inebriated condition hit journalist Basheer working for Siraj newspaper at the Kowdiar-Museum stretch in Thiruvananthapuram, resulting in his death.
The Kerala Union of Working Journalists' (KUWJ) has strongly condemned the attack against journalists and in a press release issued said that even the district president of KUWJ was tried to be manhandled by lawyers after they forcefully made the photojournalist delete the photographs.
Speaking to ANI, Suresh Vellimangalam, district president of Kerala Union of Working Journalists ( KUWJ), who reached the spot after learning about the commotion said the new incident has occurred at a time when journalists and lawyers were trying to reach an amicable solution regarding "unofficial ban" on covering court proceedings.
"I don't think in anywhere in the country such an unofficial ban exist for journalists both visual and print in covering court proceedings. An amicable solution was being worked out with lawyers but now fresh issues have occurred. Like, advocates do their job, press freedom particularly, the right to report court proceedings is also important in a democracy," he said.
The issues between journalists and lawyers had started in 2016 where a direct clash had taken place in front of the Vanchiyoor court complex and in the stone pelting that took place between the lawyers and journalists at least three journalists were injured. The Kerala High Court had intervened in the issue.
Meanwhile, Vanchiyoor police told ANI that two cases have been registered in connection with the incident, one filed by media persons and another by the accused woman in the hit and run case.
"Wafa Firoz filed a complaint against Siraj photographer that her photo was taken without her permission and a complaint of journalists against lawyers for manhandling media person Sivaji in the court premises," police said.