Miscreants uproot Nehru statue with excavator in Cachar

Silchar: Unidentified miscreants allegedly used an excavator to uproot and remove a statue of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, at Poilapool in Lakhipur sub-division of Assam’s Cachar district late Monday night.The incident occurred at a four-way junction in the Poilapool market area and triggered outrage among residents and political parties, particularly Congress.Sources said the statue was pulled down using heavy machinery and later taken away. CCTV footage from a nearby shop purportedly shows a group of unidentified individuals operating an excavator to dislodge the statue before loading it onto a vehicle. The identities of those involved are yet to be established.Police reached the spot after being alerted and launched an investigation. “We are examining the CCTV footage and collecting other evidence to identify the persons involved. Necessary legal action will be taken,” a police official said on Tuesday.Former Silchar district Congress president Pradip Kumar Dey, along with party workers, lodged an FIR at Lakhipur police station seeking immediate arrests. Dey said the statue had been installed in the 1990s by former Assam minister and local MLA Dinesh Prasad Goala at the Poilapool junction, a key commercial hub.Calling the act “deeply condemnable”, Congress leaders questioned how heavy equipment was used in a public place without immediate attention, alleged the incident appeared premeditated, and demanded stringent action.Several local organisations also condemned the vandalism and sought swift arrests. Tension prevailed in the area on Tuesday, though no untoward incident was reported.Police said security has been tightened in the locality to prevent escalation as the probe continues.