Sant Kabir Nagar: A statue of Bhimrao Ambedkar was damaged by unidentified persons in a village here, police said on Wednesday.

The incident was reported from the Maintapur village under the Belhar area, they said.

In the complaint lodged by a villager, Gangaram, it was stated that villagers noticed the statue missing from its original spot.

During a search, it was found about 50 metres away in a damaged condition. As news of the incident spread, a large number of villagers gathered and demanded stern action against the culprits, the police said.

An FIR has been registered against unknown persons in this regard, the police said.

“Investigation is underway, and strict action will be taken against those involved,” Belhar SHO Anil Kumar said.

The officer said that a new statue would be installed in the village soon.