Gandhi's statue found 'beheaded' in Ukhrul town Case lodged, probe on to nab culprits
Source: The Sangai Express / Addie Chiphang
Ukhrul, April 15 2012:
In a bizzarre incident, unidentified miscreants 'beheaded' the statue of Mahatma Gandhi erected in the heart of Ukhrul town in the wee hours of today and the incident has evoked strong criticism among the public.
According to the Ukhrul police, unidentified miscreants vandalised the statue of the Father of Nation erected at the Gandhi Chowk opposite next to Ukhrul Town Hall Phungreitang near the SP office between 12.30 and 1 am today.
On receiving the report early this morning, police rushed to the spot and found the statue vandalized and the head missing.
They quickly covered the remaining part of the statue with a rug.
Interestingly, the place of the incident (Gandhi Chowk) is located about 50 metres from Police Reserve line.
After conducting a spot inquiry this morning, police have lodged an FIR (11/4/2012) against unidentified persons and investigation is on to nab the culprits.
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While informing the media persons over the phone, Ukhrul SP K Kabib said the culprits will be nabbed and booked under stringent and relevant Act of the Indian Penal Code.
The news spread like wildfire in Ukhrul town and several people turned up to have a look at the statue, which is now clothed in a rug.
A team of Hunphun Executive Council (HEC) also paid a visit and condemned the "shameless act" committed against the universal symbol of non-violence.
In another incident, two stone plates of MGNREGS located in different localities of Phungreitang West were also destroyed by miscreants around the same time.
Police suspect that the incidents are all connected and might have been pre-planned as all the acts seem to target anything to do with Mahatmi Gandhi.
Public feel the incident at Gandhi Chowk is also a matter of serious significance for Ukhrul.
The venue is a "seat of peace" � a sort of London's Hyde Park for Tangkhul civil societies that has for years been staging all kinds of peaceful demonstrations and protests.
Incidentally, a peaceful mass rally has been slated tomorrow for the release of Ningkhan Anthony Shimray, head of NSCN (IM)'s foreign affairs, who is detained in Tihar prison.