Kerala advocates body pushes for enactment of Lawyers Protection Act after attack on lawyers' parents

The Kerala High Court Advocates' Association (KHCAA) on August 14 unanimously resolved to take steps for the immediate enactment of the Lawyers Protection Act in Kerala following an attack on the elderly parents of two lawyers. .According to reports, the attack was allegedly carried out by a litigant as retaliation to the lawyers appearing against him in a case filed by his wife.An urgent General Body meeting of the KHCAA was held on August 14 at 1.05 PM to discuss the incident.Key decisions taken at the meeting included that the association would pursue the enactment of the Lawyers Protection Act at the earliest. To this end, the KHCAA has decided to convene a joint meeting of the Presidents and Secretaries of Bar Associations across Kerala to push for the enactment of the proposed legislation. The association's Executive Committee has also been authorised to constitute a five-member committee to spearhead the initiative. The committee will work on preparing and drafting the proposed legislation, hold discussions with the government and other competent authorities, coordinate with Bar Associations across Kerala and take steps towards enacting the legislation..KHCAA has further condemned the attack on the advocates' family and assured them of the association's complete support. The association resolved to pursue measures to ensure that advocates can work without the fear of threats or retaliation."The General Body reiterated that an advocate must be able to discharge professional duties independently and fearlessly, without any threat, intimidation or retaliation against the advocate or the advocate's family, and resolved to pursue the above measures collectively and without delay," the association said..The incident occurred at the residence of the advocates' parents in Ernakulam on the evening of August 13. Two men are said to have entered the house at around 5:30 PM. They asked for the advocates who had appeared for the wife of one of the two men in a domestic dispute. The wife had sought police protection and obtained a restraining order against the litigant.Both men, armed with knives, reportedly threatened to kill the advocates and their parents. When the advocates' 79-year-old mother asked them to leave, they dragged their 80-year-old father outside, threw him to the ground, attempted to slit his throat and repeatedly stabbed him in the torso.The mother later lodged a complaint from the hospital where she is undergoing treatment, while her husband remains in critical condition.The Ernakulam Rural Police (Njarakkal Police Station) on Friday registered an FIR booking the two accused men under Sections 109(1) (attempt to murder), 118(1) (voluntarily causing hurt with dangerous weapons), 351(3) (aggravated criminal intimidation, 333 (house trespass after preparation for assault) and 3(5) (criminal act done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).