Tension gripped the village of Sirsabadan here after a statue of Lord Buddha in the local Ambedkar Park was found vandalised.
According to police, the incident came to light Friday morning when locals discovered the damaged statue.
“As news spread, hundreds of villagers gathered at the site and staged a strong protest,” an officer said.
Law enforcement personnel, including teams from Marhara, Mirhachi, and Pilua police stations, rushed to the scene.
Circle Officer (CO) Sanjay Kumar Singh and Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Jagmohan Gupta also visited the village to restore calm. Police said the statue was targeted late Thursday night.
“Unknown antisocial elements broke one arm of the statue and damaged the face. The right arm and facial features were badly disfigured,” a police spokesperson said.
Villagers launched a protest demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible and called for the installation of a new statue.
The protest continued for several hours and was only called off after authorities assured strict action and the replacement of the statue.
Marhara Police Station SHO KK Lodhi said a case has been registered against unidentified persons based on a complaint filed by Jitendra Kumar, a local.
“The administration will not tolerate any attempt to disturb communal harmony, and strict action will be taken against the culprits,” the district authority said in a statement.
