District administration officials deployed heavy police force in the area. (Representational)
A man, allegedly drunk at the time, toppled a statue of Mahatma Gandhi located at a city roundabout in Uttar Pradesh's Bhadohi, police on Saturday said.
The man, later identified as one Subhash Chauhan of Chauri area, broke the statue located at Indira Mill roundabout and fled the spot, said police.
Congress workers staged a protest against the incident.
District Magistrate Aryaka Akhouri said that the man broke the marble statue by toppling it on the ground giving it forceful shakes.
The official said he had come on a bike, but left it behind fleeing on foot after breaking the statue. He was apparently drunk, she said.
A new statue of Mahatma Gandhi will be installed at the place soon, the District Magistrate added.
According to eyewitnesses, the man's act of vandalism gathered hundreds of people there, including a few police personnel.
Before breaking the statue, the man also created a ruckus for an hour, they said.
When they got to know about the incident, Congress workers reached the spot and staged a protest there.
The district administration officials deployed heavy police force in the area to restore peace.
Congress district president Rajendra Kumar Dubey demanded arrest of the accused.