Himalaya Harbinger, Rudrapur Bureau.
Just days ahead of Ambedkar Jayanti, a shocking act of vandalism has triggered public outrage in Udham Singh Nagar district headquarter, Rudrapur, after unidentified miscreants placed a tyre around the neck of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar’s statue in the town’s main market.
The incident came to light early Sunday morning when locals noticed the disrespectful act and immediately gathered at the site. As the news spread, more residents joined the protest, staging a sit-in and demanding immediate arrest of the culprits.
“This is not just an insult to a statue, but to the father of our Constitution,” said Rampal Singh, former mayor of the Rudrapur Municipal Corporation. “We won’t move until the accused are behind bars.”
Soon after, Rudrapur MLA Shiv Arora and Kichha MLA Tilak Raj Behar reached the protest site and assured the aggrieved public of swift action. “Dr Ambedkar gave a voice to the oppressed. Insulting such a great soul will not be tolerated. I stand firmly with the Ambedkarites,” said MLA Behar. While MLA Arora also announced that a protective gate and CCTV cameras will be installed around the statue site before Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14.
ASP Uttam Singh of Udham Singh Nagar, who visited the spot, addressed the protestors and assured them of police action. “CCTV footage shows that around 3:40 AM, a group of nearly a dozen teenagers committed the act. We are working to identify and apprehend them. They will be dealt with strictly under the law,” Singh said.
The police have appealed to the public to maintain peace while the investigation proceeds.
