RAIPUR: The outlawed CPI (Maoist) in the forested Dholkal mountain in restive Dantewada district, south Chhattisgarh dislodged a 1,000-year-old 4-feet long Ganesha idol weighing over 500 kg and pushed it from a height of about 12,000 feet into the deep gorge, said police.
The granite idol was broken into eight pieces which were collected by the Dantewada district authorities who visited the area, which happens to be the Maoist hotbed.
The “shocking” incident of the missing Ganesh idol located on the highest point of the densely forested Dholkal mountain came to light when some youth ventured into the rough route on January 26 to enjoy their holiday excursion. They took pictures of the site with the missing idol and uploaded it on social media following which the state government rushed officials to the spot.
The authorities from the department of culture and archeology along with the Dantewada collector and superintendent of police (SP) reached the spot, collected the broken pieces of the idol and began an investigation.
The police blamed the Maoists for “deliberately planned to let (sic)” the structure of Ganesha idol fall from the mountaintop in an “attempt to destroy” it.
“After visiting the spot we are absolutely sure, such misdeed (sic) is the handiwork of the left-wing extremists. The rebels were seemingly worried owing to the tourist visitors in increasingly number (sic) are visiting the picturesque spot in the (sic) recent years. The region also happens to be their stronghold”, Dantewada superintendent of police Kamal Lochan Kashyap told Express.
However, noted archeologist Arun Sharma suggested not jumping to conclusions of sabotage. “Let the investigation be completed. There could possibly be another reason for the 11th century-old idol falling (sic) from such a height”, Sharma said. It is believed that the Ganesha idol was made during the period of the Nagvanshi dynasty in the 10th century.
Editor’s Note: The original news item was published at : http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2017/jan/27/maoists-dislodge-4-feet-long-ganesha-idol-topple-it-from-12000-feet-height-1564189.html ; it is being reproduced here since the original source is not available.
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