Kerala lawyers body demands Lawyers Protection Act after attack on advocates’ parents

The Kerala High Court Advocates' Association (KHCAA) has unanimously resolved to push for the immediate enactment of a Lawyers Protection Act in the state, after an attack on the elderly parents of two lawyers. The incident occurred on the evening of August 13 when two men, allegedly a litigant and an accomplice, entered the home of the lawyers' parents in Ernakulam and stabbed the 80-year-old father, who remains in critical condition. The men are reported to have targeted the family as retaliation against the lawyers for appearing for a woman in a domestic dispute case.

Barandbench.com reports that at an urgent general body meeting on August 14, KHCAA decided to form a five-member committee to draft the proposed legislation and hold discussions with the government. The association also plans to convene a joint meeting with bar associations across Kerala. The accused have been booked under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including attempted murder, by Ernakulam Rural Police. KHCAA said advocates must be able to work without fear of threat or retaliation against themselves or their families.