In a shocking development, the miscreants in the Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu had reportedly smeared cow dung on the murals of Ambedkar and Periyar. The local police department had launched a probe into the matter and initiated a manhunt to nab the people responsible behind the act. 

According to reports, the miscreants had smeared cow dung on the murals of both the leaders in Mottur of Krishnagiri district on Monday night. The act of vandalism has come to the light of local people living in the Ambedkar colony in the morning hours of Tuesday post which the law enforcement agency was informed.

A video from the Ambedkar Colony, which was surfaced on social media, had shown that cow dung was smeared on the murals and some of the local people washing off the cow dung. The reports say that the act of vandalism has happened a day ahead of the Ambedkar Jayanti. India observes Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14 every year to commemorate the memory of one of India's tall leaders. 

As the police were informed about the incident, they visited the spot and launched a probe into the matter. Speaking to a news agency, a police official from Krishnagiri town police station said that that they had called the people of the Ambedkar Colony had conducted an inquiry with them. However, the police are yet to ascertain who was behind the act of vandalism and what's the motive behind it. The police added that they will file an FIR after knowing the cause of the incident. 

The statues and murals of Periyar and Ambedkar in the state have witnessed a slew of such vandalism acts as the miscreants would either pour saffron paint or wrap saffron cloth on them. Such acts had also stirred anger and protests and now, the miscreants had smeared cow dung on the murals of both the leaders. While the Krishnagiri district had witnessed smearing cow dung, Chennai had witnessed the removal of Periyar's name from one of the key roads in the city. 

The Tamil Nadu Highways Department had erected a board near the Chennai Central Railway Station. The road, which stretches from the Central Station to Poonamallee, was named after Periyar in 1979 by then Chief Minister MG Ramachandran. However, the current government has now erected the board by mentioning the road as Grand Western Trunk Road. 

The sudden change had garnered strong objections to the government with many political parties are demanding to change the name of the road and keep it after Periyar's name. DMK President MK Stalin has, in a warning note to the government, demanded to change the name now, and if the government tends to make delay, a new government order will be released after May 2, referring that he would form the next government in the state by ousting the ADMK regime.