New Delhi: As if defacing and destroying statues of historical figures was not dastardly enough, miscreants have now begun targeting idols of gods. A shocking incident of a statue of Lord Hanuman being targeted in Uttar Pradesh's Balia has shocked as well as infuriated locals here.


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The statue of Lord Hanuman in a farm in Kharuav village was found damaged on Wednesday night by locals. A poster was stuck on the idol. The local police administration was informed about the incident by village sarpanch (chief) and a case was filed against unknown persons. The local administration has promised a proper investigation to identify and arrest the culprits.


Meanwhile, locals in the area are angered by the act of vandalism as the statue was revered by many here. It was reportedly placed in the farm close to a decade ago after the owner of the land - Suresh Singh - had found a dead monkey in his fields. Since, the idol held a special place in the hearts of locals and was revered by many. A plan to put a new idol is now being considered but locals do not want the crime committed to go unpunished.


There has been a spike in incidents of statues and idols being targeted with reports from across the country pointing to growing intolerance and increasing vandalism.


There have been multiple incidents of statues being vandalised in various parts of the country. It started with the demolition of a statue of Vladimir Lenin with the help of a bulldozer in Tripura after Left Front’s debacle in the state Assembly elections. Another statue of Lenin was vandalised despite directives from the Centre.


Following this, a statue of Dravidian ideologue ‘Periyar’ EV Ramasamy was damaged in Tirupattur in Tamil Nadu. Two persons – one from BJP and the other from CPI – were arrested in connection with the incident. And this continued with the vandalism of a statue of Bharatiya Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mukherjee in Jadavpur University in West Bengal and Dr BR Ambedkar’s statue in Meerut in Uttar Pradesh. Even Mahatma Gandhi was not spared and one his statues in Taliparamba in Kannur district of Kerala was defaced.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already issued a strong condemnation of all such incidents of vandalism. He has spoken to Home Minister Rajnath Singh for strict action against the guilty.