Mumbai: Litigant attempts suicide inside courtroom

A retired serviceman attempted suicide inside the Bombay High Court after a judge passed an order rejecting his plea in a property dispute with his mother.

After the order was passed by Justice PD Naik, the 55-year-old man removed a paper cutter from his pocket and tried to slit his wrist inside the courtroom.

The judge had asked him to vacate the premises in a property dispute matter between him and his mother under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act.

As soon as Justice Naik passed the order, the man whipped the paper cutter from his trouser pocket and attempted to slit his wrist.

A lawyer standing close to him intervened and managed to restrain him. Other lawyers, including public prosecutors, managed to restrain the man till the police personnel present in the courtroom took the man into custody.

However, justice Naik asked the police not to arrest the man. The police then called the man's family to the police station and asked them to take him home.

The police said the man had been administered first aid and did not need any physical medical aid.

The metal detectors installed at the two entry gates for the high court have not been working for a while, and that is why perhaps, the man could walk into the court with the paper cutter, lawyers said.