Thai troops have vandalised a statue of Hindu god Vishnu after entering a border-adjacent area of Cambodia, triggering strong condemnation from India, a Hindu-majority country.
The incident took place on Monday. As news of the vandalism emerged, India expressed sharp criticism over the act.
According to local sources, Thai soldiers damaged the statue on Monday in an area predominantly inhabited by members of the Hindu community.
Lim Chanpanha, spokesperson for Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province, said the vandalised statue was located entirely within Cambodian territory. He confirmed that the structure was a statue of Lord Vishnu, constructed in 2014, and situated approximately 328 feet inside the Cambodian border from Thailand.
Tensions between Cambodia and Thailand have escalated sharply since early December, with renewed clashes reported along the border. Both sides have accused each other of carrying out attacks using heavy weaponry.
Reacting to the incident, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the vandalism of the Vishnu statue as “deeply disrespectful.” He said the act hurt the religious sentiments of millions of people worldwide and stressed that such actions are unacceptable under any circumstances.
Sources: NDTV, AFP