A statue of Mahatma Gandhi was vandalized by miscreant on Thursday morning at Kannur. According to police officials, the miscreant is yet to be identified and fled the scene after committing the crime.
He destroyed the glasses on the statue and the garland that was on the statue before he left the scene, say the police.
The incident occurred around 8:30 am inside the compound of Taluk office at Thaliparamba in Kannur. Police officials in Kannur were informed of the crime by onlookers after the miscreant fled the scene. “The incident occurred around 8:30 am. We are on a lookout for the person. His identity continues to be anonymous,” said Vinu Mohan, Kannur SI.
The officer also added that the miscreant ran away once he realised that onlookers would report him. “He destroyed the glasses and a garland that was put on Gandhiji’s statue. The crowd started to get restless by then and after he sensed it he fled the scene,” added Vinu Mohan.
Police officials also added that an investigation has been launched in this regard and the miscreant will soon be caught.
The latest incident in Kerala follows acts of vandalism reported in several parts of the country. Violence erupted in various parts of the country, including Tripura and West Bengal, after two statues of Russian communist revolutionary Vladimir Lenin were razed by the BJP activists in southern Tripura. The razing of the statue followed the Left’s electoral rout by the BJP in Tripura. While several BJP members celebrated the bringing down of Lenin’s statue, party National Secretary H Raja took to Facebook to warn that Dravidian and anti-caste revolutionary EV Ramasamy, who is popularly known as Periyar, would be next. Following protests by several groups with political leaders like DMK’s MK Stalin demanding that he be arrested, H Raja distanced himself from the Facebook post, noting that it was posted by an administrator of his page without his permission. However, hours later on Tuesday, in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore district, a statue of Periyar, was damaged by vandals – one belonging to the BJP and another to the CPI.
While H Raja has since expressed his heartful regret for his comments, the BJP went on damage control mode. The Home Ministry on Wednesday issued an advisory to states asking them to take all necessary precautions to prevent such incidents. The state from the Home Ministry also noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh over incidents of toppling of statues in various parts of the country post the BJP's victory in Tripura.
BJP Chief Amit Shah also issued a statement on Twitter warning of stern action against members who indulged in vandalism.
