An unidentified group has vandalized the statue of Madan Bhandari and Jiwaraj Ashrit located at Hetauda submetropolitan-9's children's park on April 21. Laxman Prasad Bhandari, ward chairman of Hetauda-9 and chairman of the park management committee, alleged that the incident was caused due to political bias as the local level election was approaching. He said that the incident was clearly politically motivated as other structures in the park besides the statues of the leaders were untouched.