Brazen daytime theft of a 426-kg statue of Mohandas Gandhi in Melbourne (Australia)

India registers strong protest

Melbourne (Australia) – A 426-kilogram bronze statue of Mohandas Gandhi has been stolen from the Australian Indian Community Center in the Rowville area here. The theft was carried out in broad daylight. India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal strongly condemned the incident and demanded that Australian authorities immediately arrest the culprits and recover the statue.

1. The incident occurred on the afternoon of 2 February. Three individuals with their faces covered arrived in a white van. Using an electric angle grinder, they cut the statue from its pedestal and took it away.

2. The statue had been gifted to Australia by the Government of India on 12 November 2021 through the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. At that time, Australia’s then Prime Minister Scott Morrison had accepted it as a symbol of peace and non-violence.

Editorial Perspective

Such a daylight theft is a matter of shame for Australia! This incident reflects a complete breakdown of law and order. How will ordinary citizens be protected in such a country? This is the question!