Maharaja Ranjit Singh's statue damaged in Lahore

Two men damaged a statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Lahore as they were upset with India's decision to scrap the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, said sources on Monday. The king ruled the Sikh empire in the first half of the 19th century.

The vandalism was carried out on August 10. Armed with clubs and bricks, the duo entered Mai Jinda's haveli (mansion) at Lahore Fort, where the statue is located. They broke a part of the structure.

Ranjit Singh's wife Maharani Jind Kaur used to live in the mansion. The police arrested the men, identified as Adnan Mughal and Asad, after being alerted by onlookers. A criminal case has been registered against the two, who are said to be members of a religious organisation.

The nine-foot-tall statue of Singh was unveiled in June on his 180th death anniversary. Made of bronze, it shows the emperor sitting on a horse, and carrying a sword. Walled City of Lahore Authority spokesperson Tania Qureshi termed the vandalism an "unfortunate incident". Authorities in Lahore said the statue's restoration will be carried out from next week. Once it is repaired it will be opened for the public again, they said.

—With inputs from agencies