Youth held for vandalising statue of Babu Kuer Singh at Jagdishpur

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Ara : Although Bhojpur district administration is ready to celebrate three – day Veer Kuer Singh Victory Day ( Vijayotsav) from April 23 to April 25, 2018, a youth Babloo Singh, son of late Vijay Singh, claiming himself to be a scion of Babu Kuer Singh family, covered the statue of Veer Kuer Singh at the fort of Jagdishpur on April 19, 2018, with black cloth in protest against Bhojpur district administration’s decision to celebrate the Victory Day at Dulaur instead of Jagdishpur, his birth place. In the process a portion of the statue was broken.

As the news spread, ASP Manjeet Singh, SDM Kumar Pankaj, BDO Prabhakar Kumar, SHO Jagdishpur police station, Arvind Kumar rushed to the spot and arrested the youth. Later, the officials got the statue repaired at once and banned entry of anyone there till April 23, 2018.

Babloo Singhi, allegedly in a drunken state  boarded the platform where the statue of Babu Kuer Singh is installed and covered it with black cloth. He also got some photographs shot with the help of his friend. He claimed himself to be a scion of Babu Kuer Singh faimily and said the Bhojpur district administration had neglected Jagdishpur where Babu Kuer Singh was born for celebration of his Victory Day hence he covered the statue with black cloth as mark of protest.

Bhojpur district administration celebrating Veer Kuer Singh Victory Day at an estimated cost of Rs 24 crore at Dulaur, about 1 km away from Jagdishpur, birth place of Babu Kuer Singh. Dulaur is a place where Babu Kuer Singh had fought successfully with the Britishers during the first war of Independence in 1857.

ASP Manjeet Kumar said that the youth Babloo Singh had taken wine and had come out of Ara jail on April 18, 2018. He had been jailed several times for boozing liquor. He said that the police arrested him though his friend managed to escape from the spot. He further said that CM Nitish Kumar is scheduled to inaugurate the three -day Victory Day celebration on April 23, 2018.

BDO, Jagdihpur, Prabhakar Kumar said that the venue for celebration of Victory Day was shifted to Dularu as Jagdishpur lacks adequate space. Dulaur also has historical importance as Babu Kuer Singh fought with the English there.

Meanwhile, SDM, Jagdishpur, Kumar Pankaj reached village Dalippur under Jagdishpur police station on April 20 to meet the descendants of Babu Kuer Singh who registered their protest against negligence of Dalippur Fort. Kuer Sanjeet Singh though expressed happiness over  celebration of Victory Day and said that Babu Dayal Singh and his family were descendent of Babu Kuer Singh. Not a single district official or MLA or MP ever visited Dalippur and the Fort of Babu Dayal Singh.

The SDM Kumar Pankaj visited Dalippur and the Fort there and assured the locals and family members of Babu Dayal Singh to send their demands to the department concerned and also assured to renovate and beautify the ponds adjacent to the Fort at Dalippur.