Latest News | UP: Two Arrested for Vandalising Saint Ravidas Idol in UP's Ballia
Get latest articles and stories on Latest News at LatestLY. Police have arrested two suspects after a statue of Saint Ravidas was found vandalised in a village here, officials said on Thursday.
Ballia (UP), Feb 27 (PTI) Police have arrested two suspects after a statue of Saint Ravidas was found vandalised in a village here, officials said on Thursday.
The incident occurred in the Pariva village under Fefna police station area late on Wednesday night, they said.
Police have registered an FIR against two individuals and arrested both the accused.
According to police, the idol of Saint Ravidas was damaged during the night. On Thursday morning, the villagers noticed the vandalism and informed the authorities. Soon after, a crowd of local Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supporters gathered at the site.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Sadar) Atreya Mishra and Deputy Superintendent of Police (Sadar) Mohammad Usman, along with other police and administrative officials, reached the spot to assess the situation.
Speaking to PTI on Thursday evening, Additional Superintendent of Police Kripa Shankar said, "The accused, identified as Shatrughan Ram and Shyamlal Ram, were intoxicated when they used derogatory language and broke the hand of the statue."
He added that an FIR has been registered against them and both the accused have been arrested.
He also said that the damaged idol has been repaired.
Saint Ravidas was a poet of the Bhakti Movement and a revered social reformer belonging to the Dalit community.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)