Bengaluru: The yet-to-be unveiled bust of the Kannada thespian Rajkumar was damaged by some miscreants at Bangarappa Nagar under Rajarajeshwari Nagar police limits in the early hours of Thursday.
After the incident came to light around 5 am, the news spread in the area that the bust of the actor was set on fire. Hundreds of people, including activists from Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) and members of Rajkumar Fans’ Association, gathered at the spot. They staged a protest and urged the police to nab the miscreants at the earliest. As there was palpable tension in the area, the police deployed additional forces to check any untoward incident.
A senior police officer said that as soon as they got the message, they rushed to the spot and found hundreds of people staging a protest. Two platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) and City Armed Reserve (CAR) were deployed at the spot. The police assured the protestors that the miscreants would be nabbed at the earliest. The police covered the bust with a cloth and dispersed the crowd from the spot. A case has been registered at the Rajarajeshwari Nagar police station and two special teams have been formed to trace the miscreants, said a senior police officer.
The bust, that portrays Rajkumar as ‘Sepoy Ramu,’ the character he had played in the movie with the same name, was installed on Wednesday and the inaugural function was scheduled for November 23. Sources said it was installed by Kumar and Srinivas, members of Dr Rajkumar Abhimanigala Sangha. It was kept at Kumar’s house for more than three years. Recently, they decided to instal it near the main bus stand at Bangarappa Nagar. The pedestal for the statue was set up and the statue was installed on Wednesday.
A local resident said: “The top portion of the head was left open and the finishing touch for the bust was to be given on Thursday. The miscreants had stuffed the head with engine oil and plastic and set it on fire. We left the place around 1 am on Thursday and after that some miscreants have committed the act.”
George visits spot
Home Minster K J George also visited the spot and assured the fans that stern action would be taken against the miscreants. Meanwhile, Minister of State for Kannada and Culture Umashree has written a letter to the home minister asking him to take strict action against the culprits and to make sure that such incidents are not repeated. Such acts insult the people who are the ambassadors of the culture, she observed.
Sniffer dogs
The sniffer dogs, which were pressed into service, ended up thrice near a provision shop located around 300 metres from the bust.
It is suspected that someone from the shop might have committed the crime. But it cannot be confirmed until, we question them. Nakabandis have set up in the neighbouring areas to make sure that nothing goes wrong, said another senior police officer.
