Nehru Statue Vandalised in Assam’s Cachar, Political Row Erupts
CCTV Shows Excavator Used to Pull Down 10-Foot Statue; Congress Files FIR
- 10-foot statue of Jawaharlal Nehru vandalised at Pailapool
- CCTV footage shows group using excavator
- Congress questions BJP’s silence, lodges FIR
- Police seize excavator, investigation underway
GG News Bureau
Dispur, 26th Feb: A 10-foot statue of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, was pulled down by unidentified miscreants at Pailapool in Assam’s Cachar district, triggering a political controversy.
Morning walkers discovered the vandalised statue on Tuesday and alerted the police. According to local Congress leader Pradeep Kumar Dey, CCTV footage shows a group using an excavator to demolish the statue, contradicting initial claims that it had fallen on its own.
The statue, installed in 2000 in front of Nehru College—established in 1965—has been a prominent landmark in the area. Dey said the locality has historically honoured Nehru, recalling that a high school was named after him in 1953.The Congress has lodged a First Information Report over the incident. Local police officer Shankar Dayal confirmed that a case has been registered and the excavator seen in the footage has been seized.
“We have digital evidence, and teams are working to identify those involved. The accused will be arrested once identified,” Dayal said.
Former Congress district chief Abhijit Paul condemned the act, calling it shameful and likening it to the 2024 demolition of statues of Bangladesh’s founding leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The Congress also criticised BJP legislator and minister Kaushik Rai, in whose constituency the incident occurred, for not issuing a statement. Attempts to reach Rai reportedly went unanswered, while other BJP leaders have refrained from commenting.
The incident has intensified political tensions in the district as police continue their investigation.
