At Ground Zero, statues are regular targets, no arrests

The 3-ft statue in Kanpur8217;s Kakadev, one of the scores that dot its Dalit neighbourhoods, is 14 years old. While it was decapitated this time, four years ago miscreants had broken one of its hands.

Devi Lal, a local resident, said they noticed the desecration at 5 am on Wednesday. Within a few minutes, the whole community gathered there. 8220;But the police arrived at 7 am and officials reached the spot only after 10 am,8221; said a local. A new statue was installed in the afternoon.

When contacted, Station officer Kakadev Deepa Singh said no one has been detained in the incident and the investigation is on.

But their record is poor. Only twice have police identified the alleged miscreants: in one case, two elderly Dalits with no political affiliation were arrested and in another, a mentally deranged person was held.