Chennai: The Belagavi district administration imposed Section 144 restricting the assembly of four or more people from Sunday after protesters reportedly vandalised two statues of freedom fighters in the state. The statutes of Chhatrapati Shivaji and freedom fighter Sangolli Rayanna were reportedly vandalised.
According to a report on ANI, tension prevailed after a few people gathered at Sambhaji Circle on Friday and held protests demanding action against the people responsible for vandalising the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue in Bengaluru. They gathered after a purported video showed miscreants spilling ink on the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statute at Sankey Tank Road in Bengaluru and went viral on social media.
Following this, the police went to the spot and tried to pacify the protesters. However, the agitators attacked the cops.
Belagavi DCP Vikram Amte said, “We assured an investigation but they attacked the police officials, vandalised private and government vehicles.”
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In another incident, a group vandalised Sangolli Rayanna statue in Belagavi. The police after the incident arrested 27 persons involved in the incident.
Talking about the desecration of statues, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai said, “Shivaji Maharaj and Sangolli Rayanna, both are freedom fighters and our idols. I respect and follow them. Some anti-social elements are trying to create disturbance and trying to divide people in terms of language and other things.”
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“A total of 30 people have been arrested in connection with desecration of Shivaji Maharaj and Sangolli Rayanna statues,” the CM said.