The Vasai police have booked a youth for allegedly setting a memorial stone on fire at Vasai Fort to shoot an Instagram reel. On the complaint of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which protects the fort, the police have booked the youth and are further probing the matter. A video of the incident has been uploaded on the YouTube channel of a local news channel HP Live. The video shows a youth allegedly carving an 'S' on the stone before setting it on fire, accompanied by a song that ends with the word 'bewafa'.Fort's conservationist Shridatta Raut has written to the ASI, urging them to take action against the youth responsible for damaging the memorial stone stated a report in Mid-Day.
Raut emphasized the historical significance of the memorials and called the act an insult to the martyred soldiers. Despite these pleas, no formal complaint has been registered so far.Raut highlighted other factors contributing to the deterioration of the fort and its artifacts. He mentioned that the memorials suffer damage from weather conditions and are also subject to mistreatment by visitors.Instances of people playing cricket, walking on the memorials, and even defecating in the absence of proper facilities have been reported. Raut criticized the authorities for their inaction in protecting the fort, pointing out that although 14 security guards were assigned, only four are present on a daily basis.Senior Inspector Ranjeet Andhale of Vasai police station confirmed that no complaint had been received from the ASI regarding the incident. However, the superintendent with ASI, Kailash Shinde, responsible for Vasai fort, stated that a complaint had been lodged concerning the creation of an Instagram reel featuring the memorial stones. The ASI will notify the police and initiate an investigation, leading to the registration of an FIR.