Tension in Etah village after Kalyan Singh’s statue found vandalised
The incident led to stone-pelting between two groups, as supporters of the late Kalyan Singh alleged the role of those who celebrated Ambedkar Jayanti in the village on April 14 (Monday) night, police said.
Tension prevailed in Mohanpura village within the Jalesar police station limits of Etah district under the Aligarh division after a statue of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh was found vandalised on Tuesday morning, police said.
The incident led to stone-pelting between two groups, as supporters of the late Kalyan Singh alleged the role of those who celebrated Ambedkar Jayanti in the village on April 14 (Monday) night, police said, adding the situation was brought under control and a case was registered at the Jalesar police station.
“The statue of former U.P. chief minister Kalyan Singh, installed on Jalesar Isoli road in Mohanpura, was found damaged on Tuesday morning. A case has been registered in this regard,” Etah additional superintendent of police (ASP) Rajkumar Singh said.
“After finding the statue vandalised, a few youths in the area got agitated, leading to stone-pelting between two groups. However, police intervened in time and brought the situation under control,” the ASP explained.
The FIR has been registered under sections 298 (destruction, damage or defilement to cause insult) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), on the complaint of an individual named Yadram, who alleged that the statue was damaged by some unidentified anti-social elements at about 10 pm on Monday.
Umesh Lodhi, a local resident, claimed while talking to reporters that his motorcycle was stopped by those celebrating Ambedkar Jayanti on Monday night. “They took out my motorcycle keys and slapped me. A group of 15-20 youths damaged the statue at about 10 pm,” he said.
The supporters of Kalyan Singh, who was a prominent Lodhi leader, demanded the arrest of culprits. Kalyan Singh’s son Rajveer Singh has been elected as an MP from Etah twice, while Sandeep Singh, the grandson of the former U.P. chief minister, is presently a minister in the state cabinet.
Later in the day, additional police force and administrative officers reached the village and conducted a flag march, which was led by the ADM (administration), Etah ASP, Jalesar SDM, and Sadar circle officer.
“Strict vigil is being maintained on social media and anyone found indulging in rumour-mongering will be seriously dealt with,” officials in Etah said.
Earlier on Monday, a Dalit youth sitting at a medical shop in Jalesar town of Etah was shot at. Shopkeepers had to down the shutters after Bhim Army activists got enraged over the incident.
