Tension grips Belagavi village after Sangolli Rayanna statue desecrated

Tension prevailed in Machche village in Belagavi district after unidentified miscreants desecrated a statue of Sangolli Rayanna in the village square.

Some youth found black ink smeared on the black coloured statue late night on Thursday (February 19, 2026). They gathered in front of the circle and raised slogans.

Police arrived at the spot within minutes. A team led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Narayan Barmani began an investigation. Police Commissioner Borase Bhushan Gulabrao also visited the village and spoke to a few youth.

In a statement, the police commissioner said investigators were looking into all angles. “Officers have collected samples of the material thrown on the statue. The city forensics team has also visited the spot. There is a CCTV just 10 metres away from the statue. Our team is checking the footage. We have registered the complaint and an investigation is in progress,” he said.