Ambedkar statue set on fire in Hosakote village

Representative image. Credit: iStock Photo

Unknown miscreants set fire to the statue of Dr B R Ambedkar in Yenagunte village near Hosakote on Sunday night.

The statue turned black due to the smoke. Sulibele police have taken up a case and launched a manhunt for the perpetrators. Following the incident, several Dalit organisations and villagers staged a protest at the site of the fire. They demanded that the police arrest the perpetrators.

A senior officer said the fire was set under the statue around 11.30 pm. “We are verifying CCTV footage from the surrounding buildings to get clues,” said the officer. "The five-feet statue is not damaged, but is only blackened."

Police assured the protesters that necessary action would be initiated against the vandals.