Unidentified individuals reportedly used an excavator to uproot and remove the statue of Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, from Poilapool in the Cachar district of Assam late Monday night. The incident, which took place at a busy four-way junction in the Poilapool market area, elicited strong reactions from local residents and political entities, notably the Indian National Congress.
Eyewitness accounts suggest that the statue was dislodged with heavy machinery and subsequently transported away. CCTV footage from a nearby shop reportedly captured a group of individuals operating the excavator during the act, although their identities remain unknown.
Upon notification, local police arrived at the scene and launched an investigation. A police official stated that they are reviewing CCTV evidence and collecting additional information in an effort to identify those responsible for this act, asserting that legal action will follow.
Pradip Kumar Dey, the former district Congress president, reported the incident by filing a First Information Report (FIR) at the Lakhipur Police Station, calling for immediate arrests. Dey noted that the statue, originally erected in the 1990s by Dinesh Prasad Goala, a former Assam minister and local MLA, held significant cultural and historical importance in the area.
Congress representatives condemned the vandalism, questioning how the use of heavy equipment could occur in a public area without being noticed, which they deemed indicative of premeditation. They demanded stringent actions against the perpetrators.
Tension has been palpable in Poilapool following the incident, yet no violent incidents have been reported. In response, police have increased security in the vicinity to prevent any potential escalation while the investigation continues.
