An attorney in Indian lawyer has been suspended from legal practice after he launched physical assault on the country’s chief judge in anger following the remarks by Chief Justice BR Gavai about a Hindu god.

The lawyer, Rakesh Kishore, threw a shoe aimed at the chief justice during court proceedings in Delhi in what is seen across India as a serious public insult and security breach.

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The shoe, according to reports reviewed by Oracle Intelligence, aimed to hit the chief judge however brushed against him and another judge before falling behind them.

Mr Kishore was heard saying “India won’t tolerate insult to Sanatan Dharma [Hinduism]”, as he was led away from the courtroom by security officials. He was later suspended from practice.

A lawyer who was in the courtroom during the incident, told agency sources that Mr Kishore “threw his shoe, and raised his hand to indicate that he had thrown the shoe”.

However, the attempt at the judge did not scuttle the business of the court as Chief Justice Gavai remained calm and told attorneys  to continue their arguments and not get distracted after the angry lawyer was apprehended by the courtroom security.

Indian authorities later said no charges would be filed against Mr Kishore.

In Nigeria, such an attack on chief justice of the federation could have instantly landed the lawyer in jail.

Speaking to online Indian news outlet The Print, Mr Kishore said the incident related to a recent court petition rejected by a bench headed by the chief justice, when he also made remarks about the Hindu god Vishnu.

Dismissing a plea to reconstruct a seven-foot idol of Lord Vishnu at a temple in Madhya Pradesh state last month, the chief justice had said: “This is purely publicity interest litigation… Go and ask the deity himself to do something.”

The comments sparked controversy, with some accusing him of mocking Hindu beliefs. Justice Gavai later took note of the criticism, saying he respects “all religions”, the Press Trust of India reported.

“He not only refused to accept the prayer, but made fun of the Lord Vishnu,” Mr Kishore told The Print.

Speaking hours after throwing the shoe, Mr Kishore also said he had “not been able to sleep since 16 September” when Justice Gavai made the remarks.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the shoe attack “utterly condemnable”, joining a chorus of criticism from across the political spectrum.

Modi spoke to Justice Gavai and said the attack had angered every Indian, PTI reports. “There is no place for such reprehensible acts in our society,” the PM said.

Throwing a shoe at someone in public is seen as an act of disrespect and humiliation in India and many other countries.