COURT NEWS

Miffed assistant stabs magistrate in Tamil Nadu

TNN | Mar 2, 2022, 06.17 AM IST

SALEM: A judicial magistrate in Salem was stabbed in his chambers on Tuesday by his office assistant who was angered that his request for a transfer was not granted.

M Ponpandi, judicial magistrate-IV, was at his chambers on Tuesday morning, when his assistant A Prakash, 37, of Annadhanapatty, stabbed him thrice with a knife.

"A few minutes after Prakash entered the room, officials in the court hall heard the cries of magistrate Ponpandi," said an official at the Hasthampatty police station. They rushed in and found the magistrate bleeding from the injuries.

An officer said, “His assistant was standing near him holding a knife.” “The magistrate received a deep stab injury on the chest, close to the heart and lungs,” a source at Salem Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College and Hospital told TOI. Prakash was first posted as night watchman in the Sankari sub-court in 2015. Later, he was elevated as office assistant in 2019 and transferred to Mettur subcourt. “From there, he was transferred to Omalur subcourt in January 2022,” the police officer said, adding that from Omalur, he was again transferred to Salem district combined court a few days ago. He joined duty on Monday.

“He approached the magistrate with a request to transfer him back to the Omalur court,” the police officer said, adding that the magistrate had asked him to approach the principal district judge. “Irked over this, Prakash stabbed the JM,” the police officer added. Hasthampatty police registered a case and arrested Prakash. Further inquiries were on.