Tensions rise in Punjab after a statue of B R Ambedkar is vandalised, prompting investigations, protests, and claims of responsibility by a pro-Khalistan leader, raising concerns about social harmony and political motives.
A statue of B R Ambedkar, installed atop a building in Noorpur Jattan village here, was vandalised on Tuesday by some unidentified persons, police said.
A rod-like object was used to damage the statue, which was encased in toughened glass, they said.
Later in the day, a video surfaced on social media in which pro-Khalistan leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of the banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) purportedly claimed responsibility for the vandalism.
Officials said they are examining the video for veracity.
Deputy Superintendent of Police, Garhshankar, Daljit Singh Khakh, said a case was registered against unknown people.
Police said no CCTV cameras were installed there, but their teams are examining CCTV footage from nearby areas.
This is not the first such incident.
In June last year, the same statue was vandalised, following which an FIR was registered.
Meanwhile, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) workers, led by its Punjab unit chief Avtar Singh Karimpuri, visited the spot and protested.
Karimpuri condemned the act and demanded that the accused be arrested within 72 hours.
He also announced a party rally in the village on April 18, demanding protection for the Dalit icon's statues.
Karimpuri attacked both the AAP-led Punjab government and the BJP-led central government, alleging that they failed to protect Ambedkar's statue.
He said this is the ninth incident of statue vandalism in the region.
Karimpuri asserted that the acts are part of a larger political conspiracy to disturb social harmony and marginalise the Dalit community.