Men Who Destroyed Pillar In Hampi Arrested For Vandalism, Say They ‘Did It In Excitement’

The ancient monuments at Hampi are a UNESCO world heritage site. These magnificent structures date back to the 14th century Vijayanagara dynasty. Even the New York Times has acknowledged the beauty and cultural significance they represent. But instead of preserving them, three vandals back home toppled a granite pillar on the premises while their friend filmed the entire incident.

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According to the Archaeological Survey of India, the incident took place last year. However, the video went viral on social media recently and sparked massive outrage.

Police investigation revealed that the men were in the area for a Railway Recruitment Board exam. They were arrested from Hyderabad and Bengaluru. The 4 miscreants have been identified as Rajbabu (labourer), Rajesh Chowdhury (labourer), RA Raja (student) and Ayush Shahu (digital marketer).

Ballari SP, Arun Rangarajan told the Times of India,

“They were excited on seeing the monuments in Hampi. They claim to have toppled the pillar in sheer excitement. They had no idea how historically significant Hampi is.”

When questioned by the authorities, they confessed to their crime. They also said that they’d been receiving threats over the phone after the video went viral. Hopefully, their subsequent punishment will deter such callous activities in the future.