Bijguppi villagers: Basava statue damaged by accident

The left hand of saint-social reformer Basaweshwara's statue at Bijguppi village in Ramdurg taluk was damaged accidentally on November 8 when three persons from the village were attempting to put the shawl on its shoulder, the villagers have told the police.

SP Laxman Nimbargi said that village elders Maruti Koppad and others, who had filed a complaint demanding action against miscreants for the desecration of the statue, have withdrawn their complaint.

"The village elders have told us that residents Siddappa Nargund, Raghavendra Hurkadli and Mahantesh Koppad, while on their way to agricultural land on Sunday at 2 am, noticed that the shawl on the statue had fallen down. Siddappa climbed the statue platform and while putting the shawl back on the statue, his leg bruised with the hand which is holding the linga and ripped off," Nimbargi said.

"The three people were afraid and discarded the damaged statue's hand near Chippalkatti village. They did not intend to damage the statue and have confessed about it. This is what the village elders have told us," he said.

In the complaint withdrawal petition, the village elders have told the police that there is no need to probe the incident. The people have been told to stop the protest against the incident, they have said.