Guwahati: A 10-foot statue of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was uprooted and damaged in Assam’s Cachar district, sparking political reactions across the state ahead of the upcoming assembly polls.
According to police, the incident occurred late Monday night at Pailapool market under Lakhipur police station limits in the Barak Valley. Authorities confirmed that the statue was uprooted using an excavator.
Law enforcement officials have detained one individual for questioning and taken possession of the excavator believed to have been used in the act. However, the person who operated the machine has not yet been located. A formal complaint has been registered, and an investigation is underway.
Lakhipur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sankar Dayal said CCTV footage from a local traders’ association captured visuals of unidentified persons bringing down the structure with an excavator. Police are continuing efforts to identify others involved.
Reacting to the development, Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi criticised the state government, questioning its response to the incident. He said damaging the statue disrespects the legacy of a leader who played a key role in India’s freedom movement and nation-building.
In a post on X, the Assam Congress questioned who owned the excavator used in the incident and whether the act was carried out under specific instructions. The party also demanded strict punishment for those involved.
The party stated, “We strongly condemn the cowardly and outrageous act of vandalism of Pandit Nehru’s statue at Lakhipur in Cachar district, Assam. The statue was brazenly vandalized using an excavator. Assam Chief Minister’s close aide,
@iKaushikRai, is the MLA from Lakhipur. We want to know: Who owns this excavator? Under whose direction was this act of vandalism carried out? We demand strict and exemplary action against the perpetrators.”
Leaders from Silchar visited the site and submitted a complaint, alleging that the act may have been intended to create unrest ahead of the upcoming elections. Several local organisations also condemned the vandalism and urged authorities to maintain peace.