Orissa’s sand artist pays tribute to Friday’s Maoist attack victims

PURI - Internationally acclaimed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created a sand image at the Puri beach as tribute to the innocent people killed in Friday’s Maoist attack in West Bengal’s West Midnapore District.

Pattnaik, who spread the message of ‘Stop Maoism’ and ‘Don’t blast our life line’ through his sand art, said Maoism and terrorism has no place in a civilized society.

“We want that naxalites should stop disturbing the life of a common man and should take up to peaceful ways to fight for their rights. So, we have created a sand art on train accident to pay tribute to people, who died in the train accident. It is very sad that every day innocent people are dying because of naxalites,” said Sudarsan Pattnaik.

The students of Pattnaik’s ‘Sand Institute’ joined hands with him in the creation of this sculpture, which was completed in five hours with the help of five tonnes of sand.

Scores of people gathered at the beach to pay their condolences to the innocent people, who died in the accident.

“Naxalism has become a part of our daily life. Everyday people are facing problems because of naxalites. Our lifeline is facing danger. Is there no solution for it?” said Shekhar, a local.

Sixty-eight people died and about 200 were injured in the incident. (ANI)