India, April 15 -- A statue of former Odisha chief minister Biju Patnaik was set ablaze in Bolangir district's Patnagarh town on Tuesday, drawing strong condemnation from the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) as well as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Patnagarh sub divisional police officer Sadanand Pujari said police personnel extinguished the fire and arrested a man, suspected to be living with a mental illness, for damaging the statue installed by former Patnagarh lawmaker Saroj Kumar Meher.

"The investigation, so far, has found no political link behind the incident. Probe is on," he said.

Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi strongly condemned the incident and said the police have been ordered to take strict action in the matt...