Khan, however, added that a preliminary probe did not suggest that the urn contained ashes of the Mahatma.
BHOPAL: Police in Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh have lodged a case against unidentified persons for allegedly writing the word ‘rashtra drohi’ (traitor) on a photograph of Mahatma Gandhi at the Laxman Bag museum on October 2, the 150th birth anniversary of the Mahatma. The complainant in the case, Rewa District Congress president Gurmeet Singh, also alleged in his complaint that an urn containing Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes had been stolen from the premises of the sprawling museum in Rewa town.
However, it’s not clear whether or not the urn actually bore Gandhi’s ashes, as there doesn’t seem to be any historical evidence about any urn containing Gandhi’s ashes at the place concerned.
The matter came to light on Wednesday, when Congress leaders went to the museum to garland the picture of Mahatma Gandhi and were shocked to find the word ‘rashtra drohi’ written on it. Police reached the spot and removed the word written on the photograph.
“A case has been registered under Sections 153B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration) 504 (intentional insult with an intent to provoke the breach peace) and 505 (statements conducing public mischief) against unidentified persons and investigations are underway,” Rewa district police superintendent Abid Khan said on Thursday.
Khan, however, added that a preliminary probe did not suggest that the urn contained ashes of the Mahatma. “The ashes were not stolen. We were told that the urn was used to take his ashes in 1948 and the empty urn is now missing. That’s all. The Trust (Lakshman Bag Trust) which maintains the entire premises) should know about what was kept there,” he said. He added that a probe was underway to ascertain who defaced Gandhi’s photograph.
