Ambedkar statue vandalised near Varanasi

A statue of Dalit icon B R Ambedkar was allegedly vandalised in a village near Varanasi leading to protests by members of the community who demanded immediate arrest of those involved.

The Ambedkar bust in Khochva village near Mirzamurad, about 40 km from Varanasi, was found broken on Thursday and a team led by Mirzamurad police station in charge Gopal Yadav rushed there and got it repaired, police said on Thursday.

Word of the alleged desecretion soon spread and members of the Dalit community went to the village, raising slogans against the district administration.

They have demanded that the vandals who broke the bust be immediately arrested.

Khochva village pradhan (headman) Mithai Lal has lodged a case against some unnamed persons, police added.