Mahatma Gandhi's 420 kg bronze statue mysteriously 'loses' legs, gets stolen in Australia

Melbourne (The Uttam Hindu): A deeply saddening and shocking incident has emerged from Melbourne, Australia. Unknown thieves have stolen a life-size bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, installed outside the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville. The statue was gifted to the Indian community in Australia by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) of the Government of India.

According to local media reports, the theft occurred around 12:50 a.m. on Monday night in a planned manner. CCTV footage shows masked suspects arriving at the scene in a white van. Three unidentified individuals, using an angle grinder, cut the bronze statue, weighing approximately 426 kilograms, from its foundation and took it away. Photos circulating on social media clearly show the statue being cut off near the ankles, leaving only Mahatma Gandhi's feet on the platform.

Police investigation intensified, scrap dealers alerted

The case is being investigated by the Knox Crime Investigation Unit of Victoria Police. Police have instructed all scrap metal dealers in the vicinity to be alert. Police officials have said that if anyone tries to sell such a heavy bronze statue or its related material, they should immediately report it. Santosh Kumar, associated with the community trust, said that the incident has been reported to the police and the CCTV footage has also been handed over to the investigating agencies.

It has been vandalized before

It is noteworthy that the statue was inaugurated by the then Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, on November 12, 2021. Unfortunately, within 24 hours of the inauguration, some anti-social elements attempted to damage the statue.

Concern and anger among the Indian community

Recent years have seen an increase in the targeting of religious and cultural sites associated with India in Australia. This theft is being viewed against this backdrop. The Indian community has described this as not just a theft, but an attack on cultural and ideological values ​​and has demanded the swift arrest of the culprits. The theft of the Mahatma Gandhi statue has not only hurt the Indian community but also raised serious questions about multicultural values.