BAHAWALPUR: The statue of the late Nawab Bahawalpur Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi V at the busy intersection near the office of Bahawalpur Cantonment Board was decapitated on Friday.

Dawn learnt that on Friday morning the mysterious removal of the head of the statue came as a surprise for a large number of passers-by and motorists passing through the intersection and main thoroughfare near the Bahawalpur Circuit House and South Punjab Bahawalpur Secretariat.

The staff of the Cantonment Board traced the alleged miscreant and handed him over to police. After recovering the head of the statue from him, the Cantonment Board refixed it at its designated place on the iron-fenced platform.

Cantonment Board Executive Officer Usman Arif told Dawn the board staff swung into action when the news came on Friday morning. He said a massive search was launched and it was found that the suspect fled to the vicinity of the board office and disappeared across the road near Gulzar-i-Sadiq Park.

He said search efforts of the board staff bore fruit and a man appearing to be an addict was captured by the board staff and the head of the statue was recovered from him. The suspect was identified as 16-year-old Bilal.

Later, the staff reattached this removed head with the statue at the platform and the addict was handed over to police for interrogation.

Police spokesperson Rao Kashif confirmed to Dawn that Cantonment Board officials had handed over the suspect responsible for decapitating the head of the statue. He said the suspect, Bilal, was being interrogated and he might be an addict. However, details would be shared with Dawn after the completion of investigation.

The locals have a great regard for the late Nawab and his family for their services rendered since the times of Bahawalpur state.

It may be recalled that the statue was installed in 2023 by the then executive officer of the Cantonment Board, Rana Rameez Shafqat. It was made by a Karachi artist with the plaster of Paris.

Published in Dawn, November 23th, 2024