Lucknow: Unidentified persons vandalise Gautama Buddha statue

LUCKNOW: Aiming to vitiate atmosphere, some miscreants vandalised a statue of Gautama Buddha in Hazratganj on Sunday. A group of people started gathering at

Parivartan Chowk

after learning that three fingers of Buddha’s hand have gone missing from the statue that is installed at a nearby park.

The group realised that the right palm of the sage had been damaged and three fingers had been broken. A local beat constable realised something was wrong and soon Hazratganj police reached the spot. The police personnel immediately summoned a mason and asked him to repair the damages.

Meanwhile local residents and shopkeepers were questioned and it was found out that drug addicts and drunkards often frequented the place late night. Though nobody claimed to have seen the people who vandalised the statue.

Additional superintendent of Lucknow (east) Sarvesh Kumar Mishra said, “It looks like the statue was disturbed on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday. We are trying to find out who was behind the act,” said Mishra.

The crowd which had gathered went back to business after damages were repaired and police assured to beef up security. General secretary of Boudh Upasak Kalyan Samiti, Nek Ram Gautam gave a police complaint later on. Gautam said that in May the gate installed at the park was stolen and police was informed. “We will protest if the place is disturbed again in the future,” said Gautam.