PHILLAUR, June 2 — Tensions flared in Nangal village near Phillaur in Jalandhar on Monday after a statue of Dr BR Ambedkar was found desecrated, with its face blackened by spray paint. The act was caught on CCTV and has been claimed by the banned terror outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), which released a video of the desecration early in the day.
This is the second such incident in the village within two months. On March 31, another statue of Ambedkar — one that was protected by a glass shield — was similarly vandalised. The statue targeted this time had no such protection but was under surveillance.
Police said CCTV footage showed a man wearing a cap and with his face covered, approaching the statue and spraying paint on it twice. Investigations are underway to identify and apprehend the suspect.
SFJ’s Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, in the video, claimed responsibility for the act and linked its timing to the upcoming 41st anniversary of Operation Bluestar on June 6 — a date often marked by heightened tension in Punjab.
Strongly condemning the act, Phillaur MLA Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary visited the site, calling it “a shameful and cowardly attack not only on a revered national figure but on the soul of India’s Constitution.” He urged unity among communities and warned of attempts to incite communal conflict between Dalits and Sikhs.
“We will not allow foreign-funded separatist elements to destroy the social harmony of Punjab,” Chaudhary said, adding that security had been tightened across sensitive locations in the constituency.
Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi and Congress leader Amritpal Bhonsle are also expected to visit the village.
Local police have cleaned the statue and confirmed that additional patrols and intelligence monitoring are in place in view of the incident and the sensitive date approaching.
