New Delhi

A Pakistani youth vandalised the statue of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, the founder of Sikh rule over the northwest India, located in the famous Lahore Fort.

According to Pakisan Today website, the youth has been identified as Zaheer Ishq,a member of the Tehrik-e-Labbaik.

Zaheer curoff the arm of the statue, the police and visitors grabbed him and he was arrested.

Zaheer is the follower of a cult figure Maulana Khadim Hussain Rizvi. Zaheer told the police that he was against the placing of this statue at Lahore fort for the reason that the Sikh King had converted Badshahi Mosque into a horse stable.

He also told the police that Ranjeet Singh was responsible for killing several Muslims and harming their sentiments.

Pakistani journalist Naila Inayat posted th video of the incident on the twitter:

The statue of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, outside the Haveli of Rani Jindan at Lahore fort, vandalised by a Tehrik-e-Labbaik worker. pic.twitter.com/M6zEA2Clx0

— Naila Inayat (@nailainayat) August 17, 2021

A tourist Shahid Hussain told Pakistan Today, “People should be tolerant and this is what our religion teaches us as well. I do not understand that why this man came to damage the statue. The management of Lahore Fort should be more vigilant, as such incidents will affect our image all over the world.”

Another tourist said, “We need to teach people about tolerance and discouraged such acts. As people did not spare the statue of Sir Ganga Ram, why would they spare the statue of Ranjeet Singh? People in our society are turning into furious mobs and damaging the country’s image. Tolerance needs to be taught at all levels. I would request the management of Lahore Fort to be more active and vigilant, though they caught the person on spot.”

Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) spokesperson Tania Qureshi commented that it was no doubt a disgraceful incident. “The person broke the arm of the statue of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh. He was trying to damage the entire statue but I think our guards on duty managed to save it. An FIR has been lodged against Zaheer and he has been handed over to the police at Tibbi Police Station. Strict action will be taken against the accused. The statue would soon be repaired by the WCLA,” the spokesperson said.

This is the third incident of its kind with the same statue. was the second incident of this nature at Lahore Fort. Previously, a mob attacked the statue just after a few days of its placing at Lahore Fort.