Bengaluru: 118-year-old Queen Victoria statue's crown damaged at Cubbon Park

The broken pieces were later retrieved by the Karnataka Horticulture Department, which promptly began repair work.

Bengaluru’s iconic Queen Victoria statue at Queen’s Circle has suffered significant damage, with its crown dislodged under unclear circumstances.

George Frederick Ernest Albert unveiled the statue on February 5, 1906.

Heritage conservation group Heritage Beku brought the issue to light, raising alarms over the missing crown, The New Indian Express reported. 

“The crown appears to have been removed, not fallen naturally,” said Priya Chetty Rajagopal from the group, according to the report. She confirmed that the broken pieces were later retrieved by the Horticulture Department, which promptly began repair work. Senior officials, including BBMP engineers and horticulture authorities, have stepped in to address the damage.

According to the report, Central Division DCP, Shekhar H Tekkanavar, offered a different perspective, stating the crown may have fallen when someone attempted to garland the statue.

Authorities are reviewing surveillance footage from nearby CCTV cameras to confirm the cause.

1,200 parks in Bengaluru to stay open from 5am to 10pm

The state government has announced that all parks maintained by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will now remain open until 10pm. This change was declared by the state deputy chief minister and Bengaluru development minister, DK Shivakumar.

“To make our garden city more inclusive, all BBMP parks will now be open from 5am to 10pm,” Shivakumar said. “Previously, the timings were between 5am and 10am, and then from 1.30pm to 8pm. I urge all responsible citizens to cooperate with BBMP to maintain our parks.”

The adjustment follows long-standing demands from residents, who have been requesting extended park hours for years. Until now, parks were closed between 10am and 1.30pm for maintenance purposes.

However, the iconic Cubbon Park and Lalbagh, managed by the state horticulture department in Bengaluru, will continue with their existing schedules.