Man Climbs Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar statue, sparks security concerns

By Shyam Sundar Vattam

Mysuru

As Mysuru gears up to celebrate the birth anniversary of Sri Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar—widely regarded as the architect of modern Mysore—on June 4, an unusual incident at KR Circle has raised concerns about the safety and dignity of the ruler’s statue.

In a disturbing incident that took place at the busy KR Circle, a man, suspected to be mentally unstable, climbed onto the marble statue of Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar and refused to come down. A video of the incident was shared by Mysuru City BJP leader M.S. Mahesh Raje Urs.

The footage shows a middle-aged man sitting on the head of the statue with his legs resting on the shoulders of the revered king. Bystanders attempted to dissuade the individual, who later descended briefly, only to place a beedi at the statue’s feet and make another attempt to climb it.

Police were promptly informed and quickly arrived at the spot to escort the man away. It is yet to be confirmed whether he was mentally sound.

Speaking to City Hilights, Mahesh Raje Urs criticized the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) for failing to adequately safeguard the statue. “Despite previous incidents, including the theft of the granite sword from the statue a few years ago, the authorities have not taken substantial steps to protect this historical monument. A replacement sword had to be sourced from Rajasthan back then,” he said.

He added that the MCC must consider enclosing the statue in a protective glass or transparent casing to prevent vandalism or disrespect, especially during the night when such acts often go unnoticed.

As the city prepares to pay homage to one of its most iconic rulers, this incident serves as a reminder of the need for stronger heritage preservation measures.