In a disturbing incident in Ahmedabad, two men were arrested on Tuesday for defiling the bust of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar in the Khokhra area, an event that led to protests by the Dalit community. The bust, which was installed in 2019 by locals of the Dalit community through pooled funds, was defiled on Monday morning, sparking outrage in the area.
According to police, the accused were identified as Mehul Thakor (31) and Bhola Thakor (20), both residents of Jugaldas Chawl near Madhavpura locality. CCTV footage from the area showed them fleeing on a scooter after the incident. The crime branch officer stated that three more individuals, believed to be involved in planning the act, are still at large.
The defiling of the bust was motivated by an old rivalry between the accused and some residents of the chawl. It was reported that the accused had consumed alcohol on Sunday night and then decided to desecrate the bust the following morning. Around 500 CCTV clips were reviewed to identify the perpetrators.
The accused have a history of run-ins with the law, having previously been booked for offenses such as violating prohibition laws and causing public disturbances. Khokhra police have registered an FIR against the two under Section 196 (promoting enmity between groups) and Section 298 (defiling a place of worship with intent to insult religion) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) Act. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was also invoked.
In response to the incident, members of the Congress party staged a protest at the site, demanding that a new bust be installed and that strict action be taken against the accused.
In light of the defiling incident, Ahmedabad’s city police commissioner GS Malik ordered the deployment of guards and installation of CCTV cameras near statues and busts of political and religious figures across the city. This measure is intended to prevent any future attacks or acts of vandalism on such memorials, ensuring better law and order management and protecting public property.
The police are continuing their investigation, and further updates will be provided as new information emerges.
