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'भूत' ने जज को मारा, कोर्ट 9 महीने से बंद

MYSURU: A court hall in Mysuru has remained locked for more than nine months in the fear that the room is haunted, triggering a firestorm of protests from lawyers.Till it was locked in May 2014, the court housed the First additional sessions judge, and judgments in many important and sensational cases were read out of this hall. The hall, located at the entrance of the court premises, is now reduced to a storeroom where broken chairs and tables are kept.According to sources, the hall came to be dubbed a "ghost room" after a judge holding court there died in a road accident last year. The district sessions judge's hall is located right above the closed hall.Strangely, court authorities haven't opened the hall or posted a judge there, adding grist to the rumour mill. Sources claimed an astrologer has reportedly suggested that the court hall should remain locked till special pujas were performed to rid the place of evil influences.At least 90 lawyers owing allegiance to the Mysore Bar Association have, in a press note, condemned the spread of rumors and sought an inquiry. "We held the judge who functioned out of this hall in high esteem; some mischief-mongers are making efforts to sully the deceased judge's name," the note said.The lawyers urged the Bar and the district sessions judge to act against the elements spreading the rumour.Senior lawyers expressed shock and wondered why the court hasn't reopened. Medappa, a senior lawyer, said: "Rumours are rife, but I don't know the reason for its closure." H S Venkatesh, a senior lawyer, said the deceased judge was a man of integrity, and setting off rumours like this will "harm the community of lawyers and judges".(No use: The hall, located at the entrance of the court premises in Mysuru, is reduced to a storeroom with broken chairs and tables. TOI photo)Mysuru district court administrator T C Nagaraju refused to comment, saying he's not authorized to speak on the subject.