Miscreants have damaged the statue of the erstwhile ruler of Mysore Chamarajendra Wadiyar X -the 23rd ruler of Mysore, installed opposite the Balarama gate of Mysore Palace. The sword has been cut in half, with the broken piece now gone missing.

This is the second such incident this year, where miscreants have targeted the sword that forms an integral part of the statue built in white marble dating back to 1900. The sword was found damaged in April, earlier this year.

Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, had installed the statue in memory of his father Chamarajendra Wadiyar X. The statue assumes significance for being the first among the past rulers of Mysore, that was later followed by the installation of the statue of Nalwadi at the adjacent K R Circle.

Interestingly, when the statue was installed, the late maharaja’s wife Kempananjammanni popularly known as Vani Vilasa Sannidhana was not happy with it, as the face did not bear any resemblance to the late king. The facial portion of the statue was redone and fixed, while the body remained intact.

Lord Curzon was among the several dignitaries who had come down to Mysore for the unveiling of the statue.

Following the installation of the statue, the circle came to be popularly known as Statue Circle, while it is officially known as ‘Chamarajendra Wadiyar Circle’.