Berhampur: Students and BJP activists demanded installation of a new statue of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose in the city after the existing one was damaged by a bus.
The 31-year-old statue of Netaji at PVN Rao Petrol Pump Square was totally damaged as a private college bus reportedly hit the pedestal where it was standing during the wee hours of Wednesday. The 5-ft statue was unveiled by Berhampur sub-collector on January 23, 1991.
Following the incident, members of All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (DSO) led by vice-president of the Odisha unit Somnath Behera, BJP workers led by Ram Kumar Patra, members of Netaji 125th Jayanti Committee and the locals staged a protest at the spot.
Later, they met senior officers of the Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) and demanded installation of a new statue of Netaji.
DSO leader Somnath demanded that a high-level inquiry must be instituted to know the cause of damaging the statue and initiate construction of a new statue soon.
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