Bhubaneswar, April 15: A statue of former Odisha Chief Minister Biju Patnaik was vandalized and set on fire by unidentified miscreants at Parshuram Square in Patnagarh, Balangir district, on Tuesday morning, triggering tension in the area.

According to reports, the statue had been at the center of controversy since its installation, with members of the Brahmin community strongly opposing it. They argued that the statue was erected without their consent at a site they considered sacred and had long demanded the installation of a statue of Lord Parshuram at the same location. Their opposition culminated in a month-long protest, with persistent demands to replace the political statue with a religious one.

The statue, reportedly installed at the initiative of former MLA Saroj Meher, was eventually covered with jute bags by local authorities in an attempt to ease tensions. However, early Tuesday morning, the situation escalated when miscreants allegedly set the covered statue on fire.

Local residents suspect the involvement of outsiders in the incident, further inflaming tensions. The Patnagarh NAC quickly removed the charred remains of the statue, while police have launched an investigation to identify those responsible and understand the motive behind the act.

Powered by Froala Editor