TLP member vandalises Maharaja Ranjit Singh's statue, detained

As per details, it is the third time that the statue has been vandalised since 2019.

The arrest of the suspect came after Lahore’s Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ghulam Mahmood Dogar who took notice of the incident immediately— ensuring strict action against the act.

In a video shared on Twitter, the man can be seen striking the statue with his bare hands and damaging its arms and other parts.

TLP worker pulling down Ranjit Singh's statue at the Lahore Fort. The statue had previously been vandalized by TLP workers on at least two different occasions in the past. pic.twitter.com/IMhcZmPj7e

— Ali Usman Qasmi (@AU_Qasmi) August 17, 2021

However, the visitors got hold of him before he could further damage the sculpture.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's information & Broadcasting Minister, Fawad Hussain turned to twitter and expressed embarrassment over the incident, writing, "Shameful this bunch of illiterates are really dangerous for Pakistan image in the world".

#Shameful this bunch of illiterates are really dangerous for Pakistan image in the world https://t.co/TXoAXCQtWW

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) August 17, 2021

The Maharaja's statue is located in high security Lahore Fort complex. The nine-foot statue, made of cold bronze, was unveiled at the Lahore Fort in June 2019 to mark his 180th death anniversary.

Just two months after it’s unveiling, the statue was vandalised by two members of TLP who were later arrested by the police.

In 2019, the suspects entered the fort as a disabled person and his helper and the man who pretended to be disabled hit the statue with the rod he was carrying while the second person helped him.

Singh, the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, ruled over Punjab for close to 40 years. He died in 1839.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh popularly known as Sher-e-Punjab or "Lion of Punjab" and ruled the northwest Indian subcontinent in the early half of the 19th century.