Supporters of India’s ruling party tore down a statue of Lenin and used its head as a football as they celebrated an election victory in one of last constituencies in the country held by communists.

Narendra Modi’s nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured the state of Tripura, ending 25 years of Communist government, but the outcome has sparked violence since the results were declared at the weekend.

BJP supporters bulldozed a statue of Lenin during celebrations in the town of Belonia, in the remote northeast of the country, and Communist Party leaders claimed their supporters and offices had been attacked by nationalist zealots.

“Witnesses said that the head was dismembered from the body and BJP workers played football with Lenin’s head,” said Tapas Datta, the