Bhopal | A massive Ravana effigy, meant to be the centrepiece of Dussehra celebrations, was unceremoniously set ablaze in the morning hours in Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal, leaving stunned organisers scurrying to arrange for a replacement.The incident occurred around 6 am in the Bagh Mugalia-Ashima Mall area. While officials said two unidentified persons set the effigy on fire and fled the scene, other eyewitnesses on social media said they had seen a red car carrying men and women smoking and doing rounds of the venue.
A viral video captured the effigy going up in flames, with the person recording it claiming the act was committed by a man and a woman who appeared to be drunk and were smoking cigarettes. The car, without a registration number, later sped away, he added.
Organisers of the 'Ravan Dahan' ceremony were left stunned by the vandalism, which created a significant challenge for residents to arrange a replacement effigy for the evening's ceremony at extremely short notice.
Only effigies of Kumbakaran and Meghnath were seen on the ground after that of Ravana went up in flames.
A complaint was submitted at Misrod police station by Pandit Atal Bihari Vajpayee Utsav Samiti president Aditya Ram Dube following which an FIR against unidentified persons under section 299 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was registered, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Rajnish Kashyap told PTI.
The section deals with deliberate and malicious acts to outrage religious feelings.
The act has hurt the religious feelings of the devotees, Dube said in his complaint.
Efforts are on to nab those behind the incident, the ACP said.
After hours of hard work, another Ravana effigy has been put in place, Dube told PTI.
"The effigy will be burnt at around 10 pm. We have invited local MLA and minister Krishna Gaur for the event," he added.
The burning of gigantic Ravana effigies, often stuffed with firecrackers, is a central tradition of Dussehra, symbolising the victory of good over evil.
