Kathmandu, December 20
On the eve of the statue’s ceremonial opening, a poet’s statue was stolen at Bhimphedi of Makawanpur, some miles south of Kathmandu, in an unprecedented criminal act. On Sunday, the poet Ganesh Lal Shrestha’s statue in Bhimphedi was set to be unveiled. The Bhimphedi Area Police Post reports that it was stolen on Saturday night. The Rs 500,000 bronze statue was erected on the grounds of the Jyoti Library, barely 200 meters from the police station.
Following the robbery, the organizers held a rally at the library on Sunday, demanding that the perpetrator be brought to justice. The criminals could not have removed the statue simply because it weighs 40 kilograms, according to Bishnu Gopal Shrestha, coordinator of the monument establishment committee, who also believes the police will be able to recover it. The case is being investigated, according to the police.
By Karuna Thapa
