The MGR statue in the Marakkadai area in Tiruchirapalli was found broken a couple of days back. AIADMK leaders, including former minister Vellamandi N. Natarajan, had expressed condemnation over the incident. They also lodged a complaint with the Gandhi Market Police, asking them to find the culprits and take appropriate action. AIADMK coordinator O. Panneerselvam and AMMK’s general secretary TTV Dinakaran also condemned the incident.
In this context, District Collector S. Divyadarshini told reporters on May 10 that when the Election Commission’s code of conduct came into force, the statues of all political party leaders in Trichy district were wrapped in cloth and the cloth wrapped around the statues was removed after the election code of conduct came to an end. She went on to say that when removing the cloth wrapped around the 26-year-old cement MGR statue in the Marakkadai area, CCTV camera recordings revealed that the right arm of the statue had been accidentally broken in the wrist area. She went on to say that the statue was not damaged by outsiders.
Since the statue was damaged while the government was doing its work, the damage will be repaired immediately by the Public Works Department as per the order of the Chief Minister.
She added that iron bars will soon be set up for the statues of all political party leaders across the district, including the Trichy Corporation. If a new statue is to be erected in the district, permission must be obtained from the relevant local administration and the district administration.
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