Ambedkar statue removed in garbage truck, found damaged in

An Ambedkar statue, removed by the civic staff after being installed here without permission, was allegedly carried in a garbage truck and found damaged following which two people, including its driver, were arrested Sunday, police said.

As the incident which occurred a day ahead of the birth anniversary of the Dalit icon triggered protests by some Dalit organisations, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) ordered an internal inquiry into it and suspended an outsourced vehicle operator.

According to GHMC, a group of people attempted to install the life-size statue near Panjagutta circle here "without permission" in the wee hours Saturday. The civic staff prevented it and shifted the statue to a nearby stadium.

They claimed the statue was removed in the truck hours later by the outsourced operator without authorisation and it suffered damage when some people intercepted the vehicle and tried to take it out forcibly.

However, members of the Dalit ...