Irate dalits protest over removal of Sant Ravidas' statue

Hundreds of people from various dalit communities staged a demonstration at their village Rasulpur in the district to protest the desecration and removal of a statute of Sant Ravidas installed two days ago, police said on Tuesday.

The statue was removed on Monday, a day after it was installed on the occasion of Sant Ravidas Jayanti, said an official of Khatoli police station, under whose jurisdiction the village falls.

The removal of the seer's statue led to a tense situation in the area following which the police had to intervene and beef up security in the village, he said.

The statue is suspected to have been removed by some people belonging to the upper community, he added.

A delegation of dalit community members, meanwhile, also met the district magistrate to submit a complaint to protest against the removal of the statue and demand "strict action" against the offenders.