Vandals damage stone pillar at UNESCO heritage site Hampi, video goes viral

The clip shows three men pushing the artistically carved stone pillar to the ground, following which it breaks and the trio rejoice.

A carved stone pillar at the UNESCO world heritage site at Hampi in Karnataka was allegedly damaged by miscreants and a video of it has gone viral. The clip shows three men pushing the artistically carved stone pillar to the ground, following which it breaks and the trio rejoice.

Other damaged pillars are also shown lying around, but it was not immediately clear whether the men had damaged it. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Other damaged pillars are also shown lying around, but it was not immediately clear whether the men had damaged it.

Following the incident, state Water Resources Minister D K Shivakumar said stringent action would be taken against those responsible. Shivakumar, also the district in-charge Minister of Ballari under which Hampi falls, said he has directed police to trace the culprits and initiate action. “We will not tolerate any such act of causing damage to historical sites,” he said.

Police said they were verifying the authenticity of the video and have begun investigations. Locals staged a protest, demanding that adequate security be provided to the monuments.

Recently, the erstwhile capital of Vijayanagar empire—Hampi—known for its rich architecture, was listed second on the New York Times list of 52 must-go sites in the world.