Immolation bids thwarted

Unidentified people desecrated the statue of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi located 50 metres from the Ashok Nagar police station in west Chennai.

Unidentified people desecrated the statue of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi located 50 metres from the Ashok Nagar police station in west Chennai.

HT Image

Congress workers noticed a “garland” of slippers hanging on the statue.

Scores of Congress workers gathered at Ashok Nagar, and stopped traffic for more than three hours to protest the desecration. Two youth Congress workers allegedly tried to immolate themselves on the spot, but were prevented from doing so by party activists.

“The youth Congress workers tried to prevent the police from removing the offending garland, but the police removed it by force,” said J. James, Chennai youth Congress president.

Deputy Commissioner of Police K. Shanmugavel said the police were investigating the matter.