Chennai, Feb 21: In the backdrop of violent protests by lawyers, shoot-at-sights orders were issued on Friday night in Tamil Nadu against those trying to damage public properties and create disturbance to general public.
A release from the DGP's office said district SPs have been empowered to carry out the order.
Appropriate action would be taken against those who try to damage vehicles or involve in other illegal activities, it said.
"Some anti-social elements were using yesterday's incidents to damage public property and burn vehicles", the release said.
Strict actions would be taken against them, it said, adding security has been beefed up across the state after clashes between lawyers and the police at the High Court here on Thursday.
Earlier, police had arrested 150 lawyers in Chennai, who were leading a protest march to the Tamil Nadu Secretariat. The lawyers were protesting over the violence in the Madras HC on Thursday.
The situation outside the Madras High Court premises turned violent when a mob of protesting lawyers set a police van on fire.
The mob also attempted to set ablaze the police station inside the Madras High Court.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Bar Association president, who was also picked up by the police for leading a protest march, has threatened to continue the agitation till the state government dismisses all guilty police officers.
The Tamil Nadu DGP, who is in the eye of storm for the alleged handling of the case, has said that no action will be taken against any policemen till the probe is over.
Talking to a private TV news channel, the DGP was quoted as saying, “When there is lawlessness we have to act on our own, we were protecting the High Court and we are responsible for security. I cannot comment before the CBI probe is over. It’s up to the government to decide.”
On Thursday, several persons including a judge were seriously injured when the lawyers fought a bloody battle with the police. Shaken by the violence, in which a police station was also set ablaze, the Tamil Nadu government has ordered a CBI probe into the incident.
The historic century-old building resembled a war zone as the stone-pelting lawyers and the police who also lobbed teargas shells clashed for three hours inside the premises leaving an unspecified number of police personnel and advocates including some women injured, some of them seriously.
Justice AC Arumugaperumal Adityan, one of the judges deputed by the acting Chief Justice S J Mukhopadhaya to help restore order, was injured in the stone throwing and admitted to a hospital. Several parked vehicles were also damaged.
Shortly after the incident triggered an outrage, Justice Mukhopadhaya suggested there should be a CBI probe which was agreed to by the state government, official sources said. A formal announcement about the probe will be announced in the State Assembly today.
The ACJ ordered closure of the High Court and subordinate courts in the High Court complex tomorrow.
The trouble arose when police who were in full strength anticipating trouble began arresting some 13 lawyers in connection with the attack on Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy in the court on Tuesday sparking off the protest by the advocates who resented the police action.
The ACJ has also constituted three committees to videograph and assess the damages to court buildings and vehicles among other things as a result of the violent incidents. Some media personnel were also injured in the clashes.
Directing the state DGP and city Police Commissioner to inquire into the incident and submit a report giving the names of individuals and whether any member of the Bar was involved in it, the ACJ asked them to implead themselves as respondents. He also asked the court's Registrar General to file a separate report.
He also directed the police to inform the court as to the number of police personnel on duty during the boycott of courts by advocates on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue.
Stating that after getting the report from the police the court would decide whether contempt proceedings should be initiated, the ACJ posted the matter for hearing on March 11.
Four-wheelers parked inside the High Court premises were damaged while some two-wheelers and bicycles set ablaze in the clashes. A police outpost located in the premises was also targeted and set on fire.
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