Shocking!

[jivan]

London (KP) - In Thetford, for over one hundred years, stands a statue of Maharaja Duleep Singh, the last Monarch of Panjab. It was recently “desecrated” by vandals who have been described by the town mayor as “despicable” and “evil”.

The £50,000 bronze statue standing on Butten Island near the town centre was a memorial to Thetford's 19th century Sikh benefactor. Police are said to be treating the attack on the Sikh memorial as racially motivated.

White oil based paint was poured all over, defacing the bronze statue. The attack is being linked to the NF (National Front) as Swastikas and NF, were also scrawled over the imposing figure of Maharaja Duleep Singh riding a horse. Swastikas and NF are often associated with the National Front an extreme right-wing political party--akin to the U.S. based Ku Klux Klan.

Townspeople were today horrified to find the white paint poured all over the beloved statue near the centre of town.

Costs of restoration of the statue are likely to go into the thousands; the statue is an important tourist attraction which forms part of the UK Sikh Heritage Trail. In return it has made the area into a tourist attraction, bringing more visitors into the town which has undoubtedly had an effect on the local economy.

Police have begun to carry out forensic testing on cans left behind at the scene of the crime, as well as checking CCTV. They are asking to speak with anybody who may have evidence or been witness to the attack.

Ray Key, town mayor, said, “I am absolutely livid about this. I can't put it into words. They should be put in prison. They are sick. I cannot find the words for people who act like this.

“It means a lot to the Sikh nation and we're very privileged to have it in our town. It's been a lovely feature in a beautiful area. It has been desecrated.” Mr Key went on to describe the crime as a “slur on the town” and felt “ashamed.”

Mr Key said town council workers had already cleaned the worst of the graffiti off, but that they could not remove the oil-based paint without permission from the owners, the Maharaja Duleep Singh Centenary Trust.

Insp Tim Peacock, of Thetford Police, said the attack was “of a racial nature” and said the offenders would be prosecuted “to the full extent of the law” if caught. He agreed that the statue means a lot to the Sikh Community.

“We're keen on speaking to anybody who has got any evidence. It is of a racial nature and offenders will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, if we can get the evidence to do so.”

Insp Tim Peacock went on to say pictures had been taken of the graffiti before it had been removed and officers had removed the paint cans.

The monument stands as a memorial to the prince 100 years after his death.

Maharaja Duleep Singh had been the last Prince of the Panjab who had lived in nearby Elveden Hall, and had given much to the town and its people, for which its people are grateful.

A spokesman for the centenary trust has called it a “recognition of the prince's historical links with East Anglia and on a wider scale that between the Sikhs and the British nation.”

In 1863 Mahraja Duleep Singh bought the Elveden estate. He is buried in the village churchyard. Duleep Singh's son, Frederick, gave the Ancient House in Thetford to the town for use as a museum.

[no_one]

bump

[kurtas]

Its not been up for a hundred years as claimed in the article.

[sukhnidhaan]

Its not been up for a hundred years as claimed in the article.

89450[/snapback]

No...where/ how does the article claim that?

100 years after his death.

It gives a centenary AFTER the Maharaajah's death, this memorial has been put up more recently by the Trust. It is still standing after a few yrs, despite the attempted damage to it.

[Gurpreet Singh]

http://www.panthic.org/news/124/ARTICLE/1120/2005-03-13.html

i think theres a link to the reporter of that article in the bottom...maybe u can direct your question to him

[kurtas]

Its not been up for a hundred years as claimed in the article.

89450[/snapback]

No...where/ how does the article claim that?

100 years after his death.

It gives a centenary AFTER the Maharaajah's death, this memorial has been put up more recently by the Trust. It is still standing after a few yrs, despite the attempted damage to it.

89458[/snapback]

In Thetford, for over one hundred years, stands a statue of Maharaja Duleep Singh, the last Monarch of Panjab. It was recently “desecrated” by vandals who have been described by the town mayor as “despicable” and “evil”.