Saddam's sand image draws crowds in Orissa

PURI: A sand sculpture of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein on a beach in this Orissa city drew huge crowds on Saturday, soon after reports of his execution.

The seven-feet-high sculpture at Puri, 56 km from Bhubaneswar, was created days before his execution by sand artist Sudarsan Patnaik and his students, using about 25 tonnes of sand.

"We built a Saddam in a witness box with the sign 'Fate of Saddam' in about five hours," Patnaik said.

He added, "As news of his hanging spread, thousands of people, including women and children, came to the beach to see his sand image".

Patnaik has won several international and national awards for his sand art.