Bengaluru: FIR filed after Shiva statue unveiled against HC's order

Bengaluru: An FIR has been filed against a group of people who unveiled the Shiva statue built in the middle of the Begur Lake in Bengaluru despite the Karnataka High Court’s stay order.

The FIR was registered at the Begur police station on August 16 based on a complaint made to the Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant.

The court has also directed the police to submit an investigation report on the matter by September 2. This comes after videos of the incident were shared online.

A Shiva statue was constructed on the artificial island when the lake was being developed in 2019 by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). A petition challenging the statue construction was filed in the high court and a stay was granted on further construction in the lake.

Right-wing groups held a protest near the lake demanding that the covering on the Shiva statue be removed immediately as the same hurt the sentiments of the Hindu community.

They also went against the court order and uncovered the statue and alleged that those who are against Hindus and want to hurt their sentiments had moved the court to stall the unveiling of the Shiva statue.