426-kg Mahatma Gandhi statue stolen in Melbourne, India writes to Australia
PTC News Desk: A bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi was stolen from the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville, Melbourne. The incident has led to a police investigation and has caused concern among the Indian-Australian community.
The matter has also received a strong reaction from the Indian government. India has raised the issue with Australian authorities and asked them to quickly recover the statue and find those responsible. On February 3, 2026, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India strongly condemns the vandalism and removal of the statue by unknown people.
“We have strongly raised the matter with Australian authorities and urged them to take immediate action to recover the missing statue and hold the culprits accountable,” Jaiswal said.
According to The Australia Today, the statue was gifted by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and was inaugurated on November 12, 2021, by former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. The statue is considered culturally and historically important for the Indian community.
Police believe that three unknown people stole the statue from the charity centre located on Kingsley Close in Rowville.
- With inputs from agencies
