Madras HC clash: Four top cops held responsible

The Madras High Court on Thursday held four top police officers, including then City Police Commissioner K Radhakrishnan, as 'squarely responsible' for the February 19 police-lawyers clash in which several advocates and police personnel were injured.

A division bench of the court said the state government could exercise its discretion in the matter of suspending the officers pending disciplinary action against them.

The century-old Madras High court premises had virtually turned into a war zone when large number of advocates, agitating on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, clashed with the police over the arrest of some lawyers accused of assaulting Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy.

A judge, many police personnel and advocates, including some women, were injured in stone-throwing incidents and the subsequent lathi-charge by the police.