Mysuru: Miscreant desecrates Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar statue at KR Circle; police launch search

A miscreant desecrated Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar’s statue at KR Circle, Mysuru, by climbing it and attempting to place a cigarette in its mouth. The act, caught on video, sparked public outrage. Police are investigating the incident.

Mysuru: A miscreant climbed and desecrated the statue of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, the architect of modern Mysuru, at KR Circle in broad daylight on Friday evening. A video of the act, showing blatant disregard for the statue's sanctity and safety, has gone viral.

Eyewitnesses reported that the man clung to the statue for over half an hour and even attempted to place a cigarette in Nalwadi’s mouth and light it. The incident, which occurred in the heart of the city, raises serious concerns over the lack of police intervention despite their regular presence at the busy traffic junction.

The act has sparked public outrage and concern over the inadequate security for statues of prominent historical figures. KR Circle is typically bustling with people and vehicles, with traffic police deployed 24/7. Citizens are questioning how the miscreant managed to access the statue unnoticed. The marble statue reportedly already has visible cracks.

In the past, the local administration has taken a considerable amount of time to repair even minor damages to the statue and its dome. The extent of the damage from this incident is yet to be assessed. 

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The act occurred around 3:30 pm on Friday, and locals reported they were unable to reach the police for nearly half an hour after making repeated calls.

Witnesses said the man kept striking matches on the statue and persistently tried to put a cigarette in Nalwadi’s mouth. Despite warnings, he refused to leave the enclosure and eventually fled just before the police arrived.

Following the incident, the president of the Arasu Mandala Sangha staged a protest, demanding adequate security for the statue. Protesters dispersed after receiving assurances from the police.

“This is not just an insult to Nalwadi, the provider of food and education, but also an insult to the people of the entire Mysore kingdom. I demand the strictest action against the miscreant,” former MP Pratap Simha posted on social media.

Devaraja Police Station Inspector Raghu stated that the suspect may be mentally unstable. Police are working to locate and apprehend the individual, who fled the scene upon their arrival.