Set in a mango orchard in Hazuribagh area in Jammu city, the 'Gole Mahal' was allegedly vandalised last night by the property dealer and his labourers after they bulldozed the front portion of the monument and axed several trees.
"Police immediately reached the spot and stopped the destruction work...All machines were also seized," SSP Jammu Vijay Singh Samyal said.
Infuriated over the incident, Kartar Chand, whose family has been looking after Gole Mahal for several years, appealed to the state government to declare the monument a protected site.
"It is a sad act that this Dogra monument of Maharaja Pratap Singh and Maharaj Hari Singhas has been damaged like this by them (property dealers). The monument needs to be protected," he said.
A three member panel, headed by the then Additonal Deputy Commissioner Rehana Batool, recommended in 2011 that the monument be declared protected site.
However, not much has been done in this regard.
Former Chief Minister Sheikh Abdullah and several other leaders were kept in detention in Gole Mahal during the Emergency.
