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Mediapersons have harrowing time at trial

Mediapersons covering the trial in the Parliament attack case had a harrowing time on Thursday when Special Judge S N Dhingra was to announce the quantum of the sentence on four of the convicted persons. Dhingra has been hearing the case on a day-to-day basis since July 2002.

In view of the high profile of the case, security was tight and Delhi police personnel were unwilling to take any chances, even with mediapersons, who were there in the large numbers with all their attendant paraphernalia - note books, pens, cameras, micro-phones. The latter was a source of worry for the cops.

Like school children, the journalists were told to mark their attendance on a piece of paper - names, name of the organization, phone number.

"Please show your identity cards and leave your mobile phones outside (the court)," they were told.

The cops then thoroughly frisked each journalist.

Initially, women journalists were told that no bags would be allowed inside the courtroom. However, after some arguments, the bags were allowed after being screened by women constables.

Something as simple as a pen was also thoroughly examined. "Write on a piece of paper and show (us that it indeed is a pen that writes)," the policemen on duty insisted.

The crowd was so big that photographers and camerapersons had to jostle with each other to take the pictures of the four convicted persons. Some had the foresight to climb on to vantage points to avoid the jostling and the risk to their expensive equipment.

Complete Coverage: The Attack on Parliament

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