Angry With Slow Trial, Man Wields Knife At Judge Inside Odisha Court, Arrested: Report

The accused was arrested under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code including 307 (attempt to murder) and further investigation is underway.  

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New Delhi: An undertrial man in Odisha’s Ganjam district brandished a knife and threatened to kill a sub-divisional judicial magistrate (SDJM) inside her court chamber at Berhampur on Monday, reported the Times of India. Bhagban Sahu, who was out on jail, was overpowered by lawyers and court staff present there and handed them over to the police, the report added. 

He was arrested under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code including 307 (attempt to murder) and further investigation is underway.  

The accused, a resident of Berhampur city later told interrogators that he was upset with the slow progress of his trial, reported the newspaper. "The accused told us that someone (perhaps a court staff) informed him that his trial date has been deferred. He became angry. This might have provoked him to attack the judge," Inspector general (southern range) Satyabrata Bhoi told the newspaper. 

The SDJM is safe, Berhampur Superintendent of Police Saravana Vivek M told news agency PTI.

The incident took place in the afternoon when the SDJM was working in her chamber beside the courtroom. The accused suddenly went there and wielded a knife at her, the SP said. 

Sahu, who is undertrial for four cases pending against him, came to the court to attend the hearing. 

He was arrested for extortion, assault, attempt to murder and misconduct against women in 2022 and was summoned on Mondayto appear in the court in connection with one of these cases, reported TOI.

A lawyer, who was present in the court, said nobody ever imagined that someone could resort to such a brazen act against a judge in whose court the accused's cases are pending trial. "We were present in the courtroom when we suddenly heard the judge's scream. We were shocked to find the man armed with a knife. Criminals entering the court with weapons indicate poor security measures at the court," the lawyer told TOI.

(With inputs from PTI)