Madurai Court Tense After Convicted Ganja Smugglers Vandalise Courtroom, Threaten Judge
Tense moments gripped the combined district court complex in Madurai on Thursday evening after two convicted ganja smugglers created chaos inside the courtroom, hurling abuses at a judge and vandalizing court property just moments after their sentencing.
The convicts—A. Pandiyarajan (23) and his brother A. Jacky alias Prashanth (22)—were found guilty under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act for smuggling 25 kilograms of ganja. The case, originally registered by the Keerathurai police in March 2024, also involved Pandiyarajan’s wife, Saranya (20).
The 1st Additional Special Judge for NDPS cases, A.S. Hariharakumar, on Thursday pronounced all three guilty. Pandiyarajan and Jacky were each sentenced to 12 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined ?1 lakh.
However, what followed stunned everyone present. Visibly enraged, Pandiyarajan and Jacky started abusing the judge and the police officers in the courtroom. As they were being escorted out, the brothers smashed glass panes in the special court’s office and allegedly issued chilling threats against the judge, declaring they would kill him after their release.
Court sources said the situation escalated rapidly but was swiftly brought under control by alert police officers. Fortunately, no court staff were injured in the fracas, although both accused reportedly sustained minor injuries during the scuffle.
Following the incident, the Anna Nagar police have launched a separate investigation into the vandalism and criminal intimidation against the judicial officer. Authorities are also expected to review and tighten security measures at the court complex in light of the shocking disruption.
