Imphal, April 17 NNN : Of the five persons, four persons have been arrested by the Ukhrul police from Imphal
\nin connection with the \u2018beheading\u2019 of Mahatma Gandhi statue in Ukhrul town.
\nUkhrul district superintendent of police K Kabib told Newmai News Network that the four persons including a VDF personnel were arrested late last night. They have been identified as Ngayaimi Mana (20) s\/o Suisa Masanao of Lunghar village, S Ngamapam (22). a VDF personnel, s\/o Ramshing of Tuileng
\nvillage, Ringmiyo Mawon (19), s\/o Shilaso Mawon of Chingai village and Shimi Haorei (24), s\/o late Kamrei of Khamason village.
\nThe VDF personnel has been immediately dismissed from his service, according to K Kabib.
\nThe police officer said these arrested four youths have confessed of dismantling the statue of Mahatma Gandhi. These youths were believed to have committed the act due to the influence of alcohol.
\nThey were produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate today in Ukhrul.
\nUnder the supervision of the SP of Ukhrul district, three special police teams from the district led by SDPO of Ukhrul, OC Ukhrul and SDPO of Phungyar co-ordinated to arrest the four persons.
\nThe fifth one will be nabbed soon, said the police officer. The statue of Mahatma Gandhi erected at Gandhi Chowk, opposite to Ukhrul Town Hall, about 50 metres away from Police Reserve line, near the office of the suprintendent of police, Ukhrul district, was found vandalized in the wee hours of Sunday, with the head of the statue of the \u2018Father of the Nation\u2019 missing.
\nThe news of the vandalization of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi had spread very fast in Ukhrul, and it has been condemned by Hunphun Executive Council as a \u2018shameless act\u2019 committed against the universal symbol of non-violence by miscreants.
\nTwo stone plates of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) located in different localities of Phungreitang West, Ukhrul district were also found destroyed by miscreants around the same time.
\nPolice had reportedly expressed suspicion that the two incidents are connected and might have been committed with a pre-plan to target everything related to Mahatma Gandhi.<\/p>\n\n