Four people attempt suicide in a Gujarat High Court courtroom

Dinesh Sharma “Adhikari”.

New Delhi. Four people on Thursday attempted suicide by consuming phenyl in a courtroom of the Gujarat High Court in protest against the court’s order granting anticipatory bail to a bank employee.

Jayshree Panchal and her husband Shailesh Panchal, Hardik Patel and Manoj Vaishnav were identified as the four persons. According to the Emergency Medical Services, they were taken to the nearby Sola Civil Hospital, where their  condition was declared stable and he was conscious. 

Panchal was the complainant in a case involving four people, including Rang Vyapar Sahakari Bank general manager Kinnar Shah. He was accused of taking a loan of Rs 1.60 crore by mortgaging his house without the knowledge of the Panchals. On January 13, an FIR was lodged at the Anand Nagar police station.

In this case, Shah had requested for anticipatory bail, which was granted by Justice Nirzar Desai. Jayshree, who was sitting in the second row during the hearing, stood up and shouted in protest against the court’s decision as soon as the judge finished recording the order and the lawyers involved in the case began to disperse. She picked up a bottle and started drinking from it.Three others quickly followed suit. Police officers rushed into the courtroom, trying to stop Jayshree and others from drinking more liquid. The incident was caught on camera when the court proceedings were being telecast live. Advocate Prithvirajsinh Jadeja, president of the Gujarat High Court Advocates Association, said, “A 108 ambulance is present in the high court premises to deal with any emergency.” All four people were taken to the hospital for treatment.