Jabalpur, May 1 (PTI) The Madhya Pradesh High Court has sought an explanation from the police why no action has been taken after a statue of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar was vandalised in the Seoni district over two months ago.

A division bench of Chief Justice SK Kait and Justice Vivek Jain also issued notices to the Seoni collector and the state government seeking their replies (not on affidavits) in connection with the incident.

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The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL), which has alleged that nobody has been arrested after a statue of Dr Ambedkar, the iconic social reformer and chief architect of the Constitution, was damaged on February 10.

“An affidavit signed by the respondents – Superintendent of Police, Seoni, and the Station House Officer of Police Station Dhuma, Seoni – shall be filed indicating why action has not been taken,” the bench ordered.

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The court has listed the case for hearing on May 7. The affidavits would need to be filed by then.

“It is made clear that if action has already been taken, the affidavit shall be filed by the Station House Officer of Police Station, Dhuma, to that effect,” the court added.

According to the PIL, filed by Seoni resident Jitendra Ahirwar, an FIR was registered against unidentified persons on the night of February 10, after the statue was vandalised, but no action was taken, his counsel Dinesh Upadhyay told the court.

Instead of apprehending those behind the crime, the police allegedly moved the damaged statue to an unknown location and installed a new one in its place, he contended.

Over two months have passed, but the police have not arrested a single person, he said.

The court has served notices to the Seoni collector, superintendent of police, Dhuma station house officer and the state government on the PIL, Upadhyay said.

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