MEERUT, March 25 -- A major controversy erupted in Shahjahanpur after statues of prominent freedom fighters associated with the historic Kakori conspiracy were allegedly damaged during a road widening and beautification project near the Town Hall. The incident sparked public anger and political backlash across the state. The statues of revolutionaries - Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Roshan Singh and Prem Kishan Khanna - were reportedly damaged late Sunday night. These figures played pivotal roles in India's freedom struggle, and their memorials had stood for decades as symbols of sacrifice. According to officials, workers of Fly Infratech, contracted by the municipal corporation for the project, allegedly used a bulldozer to remove the statues instead of relocating them with due care. Eyewitness accounts claim that debris from the broken statues was dumped carelessly, further aggravating public sentiment. District magistrate Dharmendra Pratap Singh took cognizance of the matter and directed municipal commissioner Bipin Mishra to register an FIR against the firm. The contractor was removed from the project with immediate effect. The DM also recommended departmental action against senior engineering officials, including chief engineer Dilip Kumar Shukla, as well as the assistant engineer and junior engineer, citing negligence in supervision. The incident took a political turn, drawing sharp reactions from opposition leaders. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav condemned the act on social media, terming it a reflection of a "barren mentality", while UP Congress chief Ajay Rai criticised the state government's handling of the situation. Protesters, including members of various organisations, staged demonstrations and burnt effigies outside municipal offices, demanding accountability. Taking serious note of the developments, chief minister Yogi Adityanath ordered stringent action. As per official directives, an FIR was filed against the responsible company, and officials are to be suspended immediately. The CM also directed that the damaged statues be restored promptly and reinstalled with full dignity at an appropriate location....