Authorities came into action after a video of the locals demolishing the statue went viral on social media. The life-sized statue was found during a construction activity in the said area. The culprits had already destroyed the piece before the archaeology department found out about the criminal act. Those who took part in the destructive activity were reported to be the workers of the company involved in the construction work on the site.
According to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police, they have arrested the accused and recovered the traces of the destroyed statue.
https://twitter.com/KP_Police1/status/1284448098161430528
Meanwhile, Express Tribune quoted a senior officer of the tourism department as saying the authorities have taken notice of the matter, saying they are now looking into the matter. An investigation into the case has been started, he added.
The Takh Bhai area is famous for its historical value and heritage. According to an estimate, the remains of the civilisation in the area belong to the first century AD. As historical remains of the Buddha civilisation are consistently found in the area, it was declared as a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1980.