By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : Indian diplomats Friday denied reports that a bust of Jawaharlal Nehru outside the Indian High Commission in London that was found dislodged Wednesday had been desecrated.
“It just fell off,” said M.Subhashini, the press spokesperson for the High Commission.
“The bust got separated from the pedestal. There’s nothing suspicious about it at all,” she told IANS after reports in the Indian media said London-based Sri Lankan Tamils were being investigated for ‘beheading’ the statue after holding a protest outside the High Commission Wednesday.
“If anyone has proof that it was deliberately desecrated, they are free to send it to us,” she said, adding the matter is being investigated by London police.
The uncovered bronze bust is placed in India Place, an open space just outside the visa office of the Indian High Commission in central London, and is nearly 20 years old.