A lightning strike damaged a statue of an elephant at Ambedkar Park in Lucknow on Monday. The park, which is dedicated to the memory of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, a prominent Dalit leader and the architect of the Indian Constitution, is home to many statues of elephants. The statue that was struck by lightning was located near the park's entrance. It was made of marble and was about 10 feet tall.
No one was injured in the incident. However, it has caused damage to a significant cultural landmark. The park is a popular tourist destination and is also visited by many locals on a daily basis.
The elephant has suffered significant damage, with a large hole near its trunk and blue marks left by the lightning strike. The incident occurred at around 3:30 am, during a thunderstorm. The guard present in the park heard a loud noise and saw the lightning strike the statue.
The elephant is part of an elephant gallery in Ambedkar Park, which was built by Mayawati when she was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 2002. The gallery was enlarged in 2007, and 62 elephants made of pink sandstone were installed.
The elephant has been covered after the lightning strike, and a team from the construction corporation will assess the damage and make repairs.
Earlier in July, an elephant statue, weighing less than five kilograms, has been stolen from the Ambedkar Park in Lucknow. The park, built during the Mayawati regime, has innumerable elephant statues in various sizes.
A security officer, Niaz Ahmad, has registered a case in the matter at the Gautam Palli police station. Police officials are scanning the CCTV footage of the area, which is usually out of bounds for the public.
There is a hi-tech security system installed in the area, which is under CCTV surveillance. At any given time, there are around a dozen security personnel deployed there.
The theft has taken place despite the high-security measures in place, raising concerns about the safety of the park's other artifacts.
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