Cops told to arrange special security for statues located in Valley

Kathmandu, May 15:

Activists of the Maoist-affiliated All Nepal National Independent Students’ Union-Revolutionary (ANNISU-R) today vandalised six statues of late kings across the country, reports said.

The ANNISU-R men vandalised a statue of the late king Mahendra at Kalimati Chowk in Kathmandu this morning, police said, adding that they damaged the statue with hammers and sickles.

“After the incident, the Metropolitan Police asked all police offices to arrange special security for the statutes in the Valley,” a police official said.

A report from Pokhara said the ANNISU-R activists today vandalised two statues of the late king Birendra at Pokhara-10 and Pokhara-17 and a statue of the late king Mahendra at Rastra Bank Chowk.

“The statues were vandalised as per our campaign to root out the remains of feudalism,” ANNISU-R central member Madan Ale said.

It took half-an-hour to damage the statue of late king Birendra at Pokhara-10. Ward Police Office, Ram Bazaar, is situated 50 metres east of the site. However, police did not intervene.

A report from Nepalgunj said the Maoist cadres today vandalised a statue of the late king Birendra at Dhamboji Chowk.

Police arrested three Maoists who were involved in the vandalism, said DSP Kuber Kathayat. Those arrested are Bhakta Singh Bohora, Kalu Pandey and Ram Kumar Gupta.

The Maoists had also vandalised a statute of the late king Tribhuvan in Nepalgunj a week ago.

According to our Surkhet correspondent, the ANNISU-R activists vandalised the statue of late king Birendra situated at Birendranagar Bazaar today.

They toppled the statue and hoisted their party flag in place.

The ANNISU-R activists also organised a corner meeting at local Neta Chowk after vandalising the statue.

The late Queen Aishwarya had unveiled the statue on February 24, 1989.