A man set a soldiers’ memorial stone on fire at the Vasai Fort in Maharashtra damaging it, allegedly for shooting an Instagram reel. Subsequently, a case was lodged against the man, police informed on Thursday.
A video of the incident also went viral on the internet and the accused was identified as Hashim Shaikh. In the video, he can seen carving the letter ‘S’ on the stone using a chemical and setting it on fire with a song playing in the background, a report in The Indian Express mentioned.
Officials of the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) visited the spot and filed a complaint against the accused at the Vasai police station based on the video evidence.
Meanwhile, the police have booked the accused under Section 30 (1) of the Ancient Monuments and Archeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.
According to reports in the media, the fort has been undergoing restoration works. Hence, conservationists have urged the ASI to limit shootings inside the premises of the fort.
The ASI has also put up a notice warning people to not do anything that will damage the monument, in a bid to stop people from committing such acts.
Further investigation in connection with the matter is underway.
