Tamil Nadu: Protesters Demand Arrest Of Miscreants For Vandalising Chhatrapati Shivaji’s Statue, Probe Underway

A police investigation is currently underway, and a cloth has been placed over the Shivaji statue.

Miscreants vandalised the Chhatrapati Shivaji’s statue in Vattavilai.

A case has been registered following the alleged vandalism of the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue in Kanniyakumari on Saturday night, said police, reported news agency ANI. Protestors gathered in Kanniyakumari and demanded the arrest of the miscreants who vandalised the statue in Vattavilai, Near Kulliturai.

When the villagers saw this on Sunday morning, they reported it to the police.

A police investigation is currently underway, and a cloth has been placed over the Shivaji statue.

While talking to ANI over call, Kanniyakumari Superintendent of Police (SP) Hari Kiran Prasad said, “We don’t know whether it’s vandalised or not. It is in a private place. The statue was slightly damaged. We have put up teams and will have to check on all angles. We have registered a case.”

“We have formed a team to find out whether there are miscreants involved in the incident or what exactly happened. We are continuously telling people to install CCTV and proper lights. We are investigating the matter further,” the SP added.

#WATCH | Protestors gather in Kanniyakumari district demanding the arrest of the miscreants who vandalised the Chhatrapati Shivaji’s statue in Vattavilai, Near Kulliturai, Kanniyakumari District. pic.twitter.com/zv5XP2hpHL

— ANI (@ANI) April 9, 2023

"Investigation is on and a case has been registered on this," officials at the Kanniyakumari Police said.

In the meantime, the area's security has been increased to maintain law and order.

"Police personnel have been beefed up to maintain law and order. We are investigating further," said Hari Kiran Prasad.

Near the Thothathumadam Navaneethakrishnan temple in the Kuzhitharai area of the Kanniyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, the nine-foot Chhatrapati Shivaji statue was installed 15 years ago.

Police are dissecting CCTV film from regions around the sculpture in a bid to distinguish those included. Once the criminals are apprehended, it will become clear what motivated the vandalism, according to a senior police official. So far, no arrests have been made.