Babasaheb Ambedkar’s statue defiled in Khokra, locals protest

Ahmedabad: Protests erupted in the Khokhra area of the city after an unknown person defiled a bust of the Father of the Indian Constitution, Dr BR Ambedkar, on Monday.The incident occurred in Jayantilal Vakil Chawl in front of KK Shastri College in Khokhra, where locals from the Dalit community placed the bust with their own funds in 2019. Khokhra police registered an FIR and started scanning CCTV footage from nearby areas to identify the culprits."Some unidentified persons damaged the nose and spectacles on the statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar. No one has been identified or arrested in the case. We are trying to gather CCTV footage from the area. A team from the city crime branch has also been roped in for the investigation," said Khokhra police inspector NK Rabari.In his FIR with Khokhra police, head constable of Khokhra police Kanaksinh Chandrasinh stated that he received a control room message at about 8.47 am, which stated that a bust of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar was defiled. "We immediately reached the location near Jayantilal Vakil Chawl and found that the bust was damaged," said the FIR.Upon questioning the informant and other residents of the Jayantilal Vakil Chawl, it was revealed that the act was committed by an unknown person.A case was registered against unidentified persons under sections 196 (promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, etc.) and 298 (defiling place of worship, with intent to insult the religion of any class) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) Act, among others.Congress corporator from Amraiwadi, Jagdish Rathod, said that people raised funds to install the bust, which was defiled. Until the administration takes stern action, including the arrest of the accused, people will continue to protest, said Rathod.BJP corporator from Khokhra, Chetan Parmar, accused Congress of inciting people. "We have assured to install a new bust at the same place, and police also promised strict action," said Parmar.
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