Now, 3 Ambedkar statues vandalised in UP

Statues of Bhimbaro Ambedkar were vandalised by unidentified persons at three places in Uttar Prdaesh's Azamgarh district, triggering protests from Bahujan Samaj Party workers who blocked roads and staged demonstrations.

The incident comes close on the heels of the statue of former chief minister Mayawati being damaged in Gomti nagar in Lucknow.

Police sources said that Ambedkar's statue was decapitated and the head was thrown in a field in Katat village in Mehnagar area on Friday night.

The Dalit icon's statues were also damaged in Nai Palia and Jiyasath village, they said.

When local residents spotted the damaged statues, they, along with BSP workers, blocked main road for around four hours, police said.

The road blockade was lifted after senior officials assured that new statues would be installed and the culprits would be booked, they said.

On Thursday, some miscreants had broken the head and damaged the arms of the nearly four-feet high statue of the BSP supremo and former UP Chief Minister installed at the Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sthal.

A little known political outfit Uttar Pradesh Nav Nirman Sena had claimed responsibility for the incident, saying it was their way of expressing anger over scams, which took place under the Mayawati regime.