Tension gripped Chakkodhar village in Uttar Pradesh’s Mirzapur district after a statue of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar was found vandalised late Monday night, triggering strong protests from local residents.According to police, the incident occurred in a local park that houses statues of Gautam Buddha, the Ashoka Pillar, and Dr B R Ambedkar. “Unidentified miscreants damaged the Ambedkar statue during the night hours,” said Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Om Prakash Singh.As news of the desecration spread on Tuesday morning, a large number of villagers gathered at the site, expressing outrage over the act. Slogans were raised demanding swift action against the culprits and immediate restoration of the statue.In response, the local police rushed to the spot and pacified the crowd, assuring them that a replacement statue would be installed within 24 hours. “We have taken the matter seriously and steps are being taken to maintain peace in the area,” ASP Singh added.Police officials have registered a case against unknown persons and launched an investigation. Meanwhile, additional force has been deployed in the village as a precautionary measure to avoid any untoward incident.Incidents of statue vandalism have often led to social unrest in parts of Uttar Pradesh, and officials are monitoring the situation closely.