Prashant Bhushan beaten up for his Kashmir comments; lodges FIR

NEW DELHI: Lawyer Prashant Bhushan was beaten up by two youths suspected to be from Sriram Sena in his Supreme Court lawyers' chambers here this evening as they were upset with his stand on Jammu and Kashmir.

Video: Prashant Bhushan beaten up for Kashmir comment

Bhushan was speaking to a TV news channel when the two youths barged into his office in the New Lawyers Chamber opposite Supreme Court this afternoon and started showering blows on him.

The lawyer was pulled out of the chair, slapped, dragged and repeatedly punched. He was pinned down on the floor and kicked on his chest. Bhushan's shirt was torn and his spectacles fell when he was roughed up.

As his staff and others gathered, one of the two attackers managed to escape while another was caught by them and handed over to police. Bhushan was later taken to the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital.

The youths had entered his office claiming that they had an appointment with Bhushan, a prominent Team Anna member who is in the forefront of the fight for a strong Lokpal.

After the attack, Bhushan said it appeared that the youths targeted him for his stand on Jammu and Kashmir.

"They were saying that I have made some comments on Kashmir to which they were taking objection. I have said that a referendum should be held in Kashmir," he said.

A case has been registered and one person has been arrested.

Reacting to the attack, activist Kiran Bedi said it was absolutely shocking and shameful. "I am very distressed. But you got evidence, I think these people will be in jail for a long time now.

"It shows the amount of intolerance level we have reached. I don't know what they are him up for, but they don't know they are beating up such a good man who continues to work for the community day in and day out," Bedi said.