Installed without permission, administration shifts Ambedkar’s statue in Atpadi
Sangli admin removed an unauthorized Dr BR Ambedkar statue at Sangola Chowk to prevent disturbances, clarifying it was done with care amid false rumors.
shrinivas.deshpande@htlive.com
In a late-night operation on Saturday, the Sangli district administration shifted an unauthorised statue of Dr BR Ambedkar that had been installed at Sangola Chowk in Atpadi town. The operation, which took place around midnight, was carried out after the statue was installed at the location without the necessary permissions or legal approval, officials said on Sunday.
Various organisations in Atpadi had been demanding the installation of the statue in the city. As a result, on Saturday, people installed the bust of Dr BR Ambedkar at Sangola Chowk allegedly without taking any prior permission from the administration.
Following this, during the midnight operation, the district administration removed the statue taking proper care and kept it in a safe place, Atpadi Tehsildar said in a statement.
“The statue was removed and kept at a safe palace with proper care,” stated tehsildar in his statement.
Authorities acted swiftly to prevent any potential disturbances, deploying a heavy police presence in the area to maintain order. The police force remained on high alert in the area to ensure there were no confrontations.
According to the district administration, A post was viral in which it was claimed that police vandalised and disrespected the statue of Dr BR Ambedkar. District administration urged the public to ignore rumours.