Junior lawyer 'assaulted' by senior in Kerala chambers

Thiruvananthapuram | A junior woman lawyer was allegedly brutally assaulted by her senior advocate at his office near the district court in Vanchiyoor here on Tuesday, police said.

The woman lawyer, Shyamily, sought treatment at a hospital with severe facial injuries and later lodged a police complaint against the senior advocate, Beylin Das, under whom she had been practising for some time.

Speaking to reporters, Shyamily said Das often lashed out at his juniors over trivial issues, and that she was cruelly beaten when she approached him to discuss an internal matter.

"I went to speak to him personally about the issue. But he got enraged and beat me on the face. I fell, but he continued hitting me two or three more times in front of others. I lost consciousness," she said.

She also alleged that the senior advocate had a history of throwing files at juniors and dismissing them over minor issues.

Meanwhile, representatives of the Bar Association, who visited Shyamily at the hospital, said the accused lawyer had been suspended from the Association.

They also assured her of full support and legal assistance.

"As soon as we heard about the incident, we convened an emergency meeting and decided to suspend Beylin Das from the Association," a leader (from the association) told the media.

"We will also conduct an internal investigation. The entire legal fraternity in the district stands with the victim," he added.

Vanchiyoor police said a case has been registered against Beylin Das under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including non-bailable offences.

"Non-bailable sections have been charged against the lawyer. A search is on to nab him. We are looking into it," a senior police officer said.

The accused lawyer was unavailable for comment.

The All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) strongly condemned the incident and staged a protest march in the city.

AIDWA urged the court to register a case on its own in connection with the incident and called for the intervention of the State Human Rights Commission and the Youth Commission.