Thrissur: The statue of Sakthan Thampuran, which was damaged after being rammed down by a KSRTC bus in Thrissur, has been taken to Thiruvananthapuram for repairs. The statue was transported to the state capital on the back of a truck.

Revenue Minister K Rajan said Rs 19 lakh will be spent on the repairs and reconstruction of the bronze state. The KSRTC will have to cough up Rs 10 lakh while the remaining is to be allocated from the development fund of Thrissur MLA P Balachandran. The statue is expected to be ready for reinstallation in two months.

Sculptor Kunnuvila Murali, who made the statute in 2013 for Rs 35 lakh, will undertake the repairs at the SIDCO Industrial Estate at Pappanamcode. Murali crafted the face of the statue based on his understanding of the erstwhile architect of Thrissur City from reading historical books.

The statue that stood on the roundabout in Sakthan Nagar was damaged on June 9 after a low-floor bus travelling from Thiruvananthapuram to Kozhikode crashed into it from the rear. The statue toppled forward on impact, resulting in damages to the lower half and arms.