Karni Sena admits to vandalism at Chittorgarh fort, no arrests yet

Chittorgarh police said they had not been able to identify the culprits.

Even as the Shri Rajput Karni Sena claimed responsibility for vandalising the Chittorgarh fort, a UNESCO world heritage site, and threatened a repeat, the Rajasthan Police failed to make any arrest. The police are still probing the incident as an act perpetrated by unknown persons. On Sunday, SRKS members destroyed two mirrors at the 13th-century fort in protest against a legend associated with Padmini. According to the legend, Padmini’s face was shown to Alauddin Khilji in these mirrors. The outfit has threatened further vandalism if the government does not stop the sound and light show at the fort, and remove a plaque with information about the site.

In January, SRKS attacked filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali in January when he was shooting for his film Padmavati in Jaipur. “We had given an ultimatum to the administration 15 days ago…to remove these mirrors but they paid no heed. So Karni Sainiks had to take matters in their own hands,” SRKS state president Mahipal Singh Makrana said. He said that the outfit would take further action if their demands are not met.

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The police said they had not been able to identify the culprits. “The ASI has given us a report saying some people vandalised the mirror. So we have registered a case against unknown persons,” said Chittorgarh Addl SP Rajan Dushyant.