After Canada, another Gandhi statue vandalized in Punjab's Bhatinda
A statue of Mahatma Gandhi was vandalized in Punjab's Bhatinda by a group of unidentified miscreants on Thursday. They broke the statue into pieces and took away its face from a public park in the city's Rama Mandi area, the Punjab Police said. The incident surfaced only days after a statue of Gandhi was defaced in Canada by writing graphic words over it.
Miscreants took away the statue's face: Punjab police
The three-foot tall statue was installed at a local park, also known as Gandhi park, in Rama Mandi. The incident took place on Thursday night and came to light the next morning when people saw pieces of the statue lying on the grass. The head of the statue was missing, the Punjab Police noted. A complaint has been registered against unidentified persons.
What did the police say?
"The park did not have adequate lighting or a gardener to maintain it. We are looking through the CCTV footage and will nab the offenders soon," Area Station House Officer Harjot Singh Mann said after a spot visit. The police have not made any arrests so far. Officials have asked the municipality to take care of the park.
Gandhi statue was defaced in Canada
The incident comes just a few days after a Gandhi statue located in Ontario's Richmond Hill district was defaced. The words "Khalistan" and "Rapist" were found scribbled over the statue, a first since it was installed in 1988. Calling it "bias-motivated," the local police said that they will be investigating the matter as a "hate crime."
Act has hurt Indian sentiment: High Commission
The High Commission of India in Canada expressed deep anguish over the incident that "seeks to terrorize the Indian community." The Indian Envoy also said that the "criminal and hateful act" has deeply hurt the sentiments of Indians in Canada. Taking to Twitter, the Consulate General of India in Canada said that they have contacted the authorities to investigate the crime.
