Ferozepur (Punjab), Jan 30 (PTI) Several Dalit bodies on Thursday held protests here against the vandalising of a statue of B R Ambedkar by a man in Amritsar on Republic Day.

All commercial establishments, educational institutions and markets remained shut in the wake of the call for a 'bandh' given by the Dalit organisations.

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Dalit leaders Deep Dashanan and Vijay Goriya strongly condemned the incident and demanded an inquiry into it.

"The matter should be probed by independent agencies or the senior judges. Though the police arrested the accused, there should be an inquiry to know who was behind the incident. It is a conspiracy against the Dalit Samaj," said Dashanan.

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The protesters also carried out a procession and raised slogans against the Union and the state government.

A heavy police force was deployed in the city after the call for the bandh.

On January 26, police arrested Akash Singh, a resident of Dharamkot in Punjab's Moga district, for allegedly damaging the Ambedkar statue at the Town Hall on Heritage Street that leads to the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

A video clip purportedly of the incident surfaced on social media, showing a man carrying a hammer and climbing atop the statue using a steel ladder. He is seen hitting the statue multiple times with the hammer.

The man also caused damage to the Constitution book, which is part of the statue.

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