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Ludhiana | One arrested for torching statue of Arjuna Awardee
The FIR was registered on the complaint of the Arjuna Awardee’s nephew, who found out about the incident on Wednesday, a day after the statue was damaged in Ludhiana
A 23-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly damaging the statue of Arjuna Awardee Gurdial Singh Malhi, installed at the basketball stadium in Gureh village of Dakha.
The accused, identified as Manjinder Singh alias Kaka, 23, of the same village, was allegedly under the influence of liquor at the time.
The FIR was registered on the complaint of the Arjuna Awardee’s nephew, who found out about the incident on Wednesday, a day after the vandalism took place.
The nephew, Balwant Singh, said that his uncle was an international basketball player and had also served in the Indian Army. “He was conferred the Arjuna Award in 1968. After he passed away in 1993, the villagers built a stadium in his name to honour him and installed his statute there. On Wednesday, we came to know that the statue had been vandalised and made a police complaint,” said Balwant Singh.
Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Hamir Singh, the investigating officer, said an FIR under Sections 295 (destroying, damaging or defiling any place of worship), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 436 (commits mischief by fire or any explosive substance) and 504 (whoever intentionally insults, and thereby gives provocation to any person) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the accused at Dakha police station.
“During investigation, police found that Manjinder Singh alias Kaka, along with his three friends, had consumed liquor near the stadium. After the booze party, they left the place, but Manjinder returned to the stadium, damaged the statue and set it on fire,” said the ASI.
The accused is a habitual drinker and unemployed. Police are questioning him to know the reason behind damaging the statue of the Arjuna Awardee.
