The bust of legendary Khasi warrior, U Tirot Sing Syiem, which was installed at the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC) in Dhaka in February this year, was destroyed in an attack on the Centre by a mob during the anti-government protests that rocked Bangladesh on Monday.

The bust was installed by the Meghalaya government at the IGCC located in the Dhanmondi area of Dhaka.

Tirot Sing had fought against British dominance between 1829 and 1833. He was forced to surrender on January 9, 1833, and sent to Dhaka where he died on July 17, 1835.

Condemning the development on Tuesday after videos of the destruction of the IGCC centre started doing the rounds, Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K. Sangma posted on X, “I strongly condemned the vandalisation of the bust of U Tirot Sing Syiem, the braveheart of Khasi Hills and freedom fighter of Meghalaya at the Indian Cultural Centre in Dhaka, Bangladesh.”

Sangma’s post further said: “Urge local authorities to take creative measures to avoid further escalation.”

The chief minister thanked both the Indian and Bangladesh governments for facilitating the installation and unveiling of the bust in Dhaka.

The Meghalaya BJP unit also condemned the vandalisation on Tuesday. BJP is a part of the NPP-led ruling coalition in Meghalaya.

“In a disgraceful case of cultural terrorism, the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre, Dhaka, has been gutted by Jihadists in Bangladesh and a memorial dedicated to U Tirot Sing, inaugurated less than a year ago and placed at the entrance of the building has been destroyed,” the state BJP said.

The state BJP has appealed to the Centre to take up the matter with whoever is in charge of the neighbouring country at this moment, to ensure the protection of such memorials and bring an end to the violence that is being unleashed on minorities in Bangladesh, the statement said.