The Bar Council of India (BCI) has issued a strong public statement following a violent assault on Shri Y.R. Sadashiva Reddy, Senior Advocate, Co-Chairman of BCI, and member of the Karnataka State Bar Council. The attack took place on 16 April 2025 inside his Bengaluru chamber, where two unknown assailants armed with iron rods inflicted grievous injuries in front of his junior. He sustained multiple fractures, including to his right forearm, left elbow, and leg.
According to the FIR, the attack appears linked to a previously closed complaint handled by the State Bar Council two years ago. The BCI expressed grave concern over the premeditated nature of the assault, calling it a targeted act meant to intimidate an elected legal representative and undermine the regulatory authority of Bar institutions.
The Council emphasised that this is not an isolated incident, but part of a disturbing pattern of increasing threats and violence against advocates across the country. It warned that such attacks directly threaten the independence of the legal profession and the integrity of the justice delivery system. The BCI highlighted the growing risks faced by advocates handling sensitive criminal, civil, and public interest matters, many of whom face harassment, threats, and physical danger.
Calling the incident a “constitutional and professional crisis,” the Bar Council demanded immediate and concrete measures from the State and Central Governments. These include full security cover for advocates under threat, the arrest and custodial interrogation of Shri Reddy’s attackers, security audits of court complexes and Bar Association premises, and the creation of dedicated protection cells within each police jurisdiction.
Additionally, the BCI called for a centralised emergency response system under the Ministry of Law and Justice and the establishment of a national joint task force comprising officials from Home and Law Ministries, State DGPs, and Bar Council representatives to investigate organised threats against the legal community.
Terming the institutional silence and delay in response as unacceptable, the BCI warned that continued inaction will embolden anti-social elements and erode the rule of law. The legal fraternity stands united and resolute, but the Council declared that it now expects the State to act, not with sympathy, but with firm protection and preventive measures.
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