Rajsamand police have arrested three persons for allegedly desecrating a bust of Mahatma Gandhi in the district, officials said Wednesday. Nathdwara Circle Officer Mahipal Singh said that the incident took place on Monday night in Holimagra area. The damaged bust was discovered by local residents on Tuesday morning, who then submitted a complaint at the Nathdwara police station. Officials at Nathdwara police station said that a complaint was filed by Holimagra resident Ashok Valmiki against unspecified persons on Tuesday. The FIR was lodged under IPC section 427 (Mischief causing damage), section 3 (Mischief causing damage to public property) of The Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984, and section 3 (Penalty for defacement of property) of Rajasthan Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 2006. Nathdwara assistant sub-inspector Ravindra Singh said that on the basis of CCTV footage, they questioned three persons, who were subsequently arrested. “We retrieved photos from the footage and took help of locals to identify the persons. We picked up Kuldeep Valmiki, Arvind Gehlot and Ankit Gehlot, who are friends and are 24-years-old. They are from the same locality and had arrived on a scooter and a bike to the spot,” Singh said. He said that prima facie, the men desecrated the bust in a fit of intoxication and no ulterior motive has come to light so far, although investigation is underway. Singh said that the statue was installed in 2008 by the Nagar Palika. Congress state president Sachin Pilot that the incidents of vandalism of statues in the last few weeks “have made it clear that anti-social elements feel emboldened under BJP. People did not hand over the reins of the country to BJP to increase the differences but to respect and uphold the constitution and constitutional values.”
