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A statue of Dalit icon Bhimrao Ambedkar in Uttar Pradesh’s Badaun was found to be locked in an iron cage on Thursday, 12 April. The statue is located at Gaddi Chowk, an area in the heart of the town.
In the backdrop of incidents of vandalism of Ambedkar's statues, it was found locked inside the cage near the Sadar Kotwali police station. The police said they do not know who have done it yet.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Badaun) Parasnath Maurya said directives were issued to extend security till Ambedkar Jayanti on 14 April, as there were chances that some anti-social elements might damage the statues to disturb social peace.
Three homeguard jawans have, however, been deployed for round-the-clock security of the now locked-up statue, the SDM added.
Ambedkar statues have recently been vandalised in Meerut, Saharanpur, Firozabad, and Bulandshahr in March, triggering angry protests from the Opposition Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP).
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has also sent out an advisory to the states for taking precautionary steps to prevent violence/vandalism in the run-up to Dr BR Ambedkar's birth anniversary.
The communique was issued in the wake of violence/arson in some parts of the country during 'Bharat Bandh' on 2 April and 10 April.
(With inputs from PTI, IANS)
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