Ambedkar statue vandalized in Hapur, Dalit sit-in, police promise probe
A statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was vandalized last night in the Ghungrala/Hafizpur area of Hapur district, sparking strong protests from Dalit villagers.
People gathered for a sit-in, demanding quick action against those responsible.
Local police responded by reinstalling the statue and promised a full investigation to stop this from happening again.
Ajay Kumar Lallu cites 20 incidents
Police have registered a case and are checking CCTV footage to find out who did it.
Congress leaders and Dalit groups are backing the protest, warning things could escalate if justice is delayed.
Opposition parties have called it an attack on Dalit identity, while Congress's Ajay Kumar Lallu pointed out that at least 20 similar incidents happened in Uttar Pradesh in the last one year, saying that the vandalisation of an Ambedkar-linked statue is not the first such incident and that, over the last year, at least 20 similar instances have come to the public domain.