Ballia (UP), February 17 Unidentified individuals damaged the statue of Sant Ravidas in a village here, police said on Tuesday.
The incident took place in the Bandheta village in the Phephana area on Monday night. After villagers discovered the damage in the morning, they gathered around the statue site and began protesting.
According to the police, the miscreants also damaged a pillar that supported the roof over the statue.
Upon receiving information about the incident, Sub-District Magistrate Sadar Thirum Raj Singh and police officers arrived at the scene.
Singh said that the crowd was pacified by installing a new statue at the site. The Sant Ravidas statue was installed on government land in the village eight months ago.
Construction of the pillar began on Monday at the statue site, and the incident occurred that night, the sub-district magistrate added.
Phephana Station Officer Vishwadeep Singh said that the situation at the scene is now under control.