Clash in Aligarh over ‘removal’ of Ambedkar statue; 4 cops injured

FOUR POLICEMEN were injured and at least six police vehicles were torched as violence broke out in a village in Aligarh district late Tuesday evening over the removal of a B R Ambedkar statue that was allegedly illegally installed on a property.

The incident took place at Bhimpura-Ibrahimpur village. While a mob pelted stones at the police team that removed the statue and set police jeeps and bikes on fire, the police fired bullets in the air, lobbed tear gas shells and lathi-charged the crowd, officials said.

An FIR was lodged at Roravar police station and three people, including Gram Pradhan Asha Lodhi, her husband Nirdesh Lodhi, and former village head Chatarpal, were arrested, the police said. Fourteen known and 150-200 unidentified people were booked for attacking the police team and indulging in arson, the police added.

“The situation is under control now. A heavy deployment of police force has been made to ensure peace,” Sanjeev Suman, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Aligarh, said.