Two held for vandalising statue of former UP minister in Ballia

Ballia (UP), Dec 30 (PTI) Police on Monday arrested two men for allegedly vandalising a statue of former Uttar Pradesh minister Shardanand Anchal in this district's Chitbaragaon area, a senior officer said.

Superintendent of Police Omvir Singh told reporters that Vishal Yadav and Vicky were arrested from near the river culvert of Chitbaragaon on Monday.

Fragments of the statue were also seized from them, Singh added.

The life-size statue, installed by former Rampur Chit village head Krishna Yadav in 2013, was vandalised and its head severed on December 25.

Anchal was a Samajwadi Party leader and had served as a minister in a Mulayam Singh Yadav government.

Acting on Krishna Yadav's complaint, a case was registered against unidentified people under Section 298 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult religion of any class) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on December 26.

Singh added the police were trying to arrest another accused. PTI COR NAV SZM SZM