Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s Statue Vandalised in Kolkata

Handout portrait of the leader of the Indian National Army Subhas Chandra Bose that is on display at the Netaji Research Bureau in Calcutta. 

(Photo: Reuters)

A bust of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was found vandalised inside a park in the city's Narkeldanga area on Thursday morning leading to protests by the local people, police said.

A complaint was lodged at the local police station against unknown miscreants by activists of the Forward Bloc, a senior official of Kolkata Police told PTI.

The bust of Netaji was damaged probably last evening or last night. Some of the residents spotted it this morning and it was brought to our notice. We are looking into the matter.

IPS Officer

Netaji's bust had been erected inside a children's park.

"We have lodged a complaint at the police station. We want the police to take action against the culprits within 24 hours. Otherwise we will start demonstrations outside the police station," General Secretary of Forward Bloc Youth wing, Sudipto Banerjee, said.

The bust has now been covered with a piece of cloth and work to restore it to its old form will soon resume, the officer said.

A number of statues of political leaders were vandalised across the country in March. The first such incident was reported in Tripura after the BJP-IPFT coalition came to power trouncing the 25-year-old CPI(M)-led Left Front government