A statue of B R Ambedkar installed at Navyug market in Kotwali police station area here was allegedly damaged by some anti-social elements, following which members of the dalit community and BSP workers staged a protest and blocked road, police said today.
The statue was damaged last night. The district administration took prompt action to avoid any unpleasant situation and a large police force was deployed in the area, said Superintendent of Police (City) Salman Taj Patil.
"A few days ago the spectacle on the statue was damaged. It was reset using adhesive. Perhaps due to increasing temperature, the adhesive might have melted and the spectacle fell. It creates an impression that the statue has been damaged. However, the possibility of vandalising cannot be ruled out," the police officer said.
An FIR has been registered against unknown persons, he said.
District Magistrate Vimal Kumar Sharma said the statue was installed at a cost of Rs 11 lakh.
Today morning, members of the dalit community and BSP workers staged a protest and blocked road in the area. BSP leader Pyre Lal Jatav demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.
