Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that India has urged Australia to take "immediate action" to find the missing statue and take action against the culprits.
In response to media queries regarding the statue in Australia, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, "We strongly condemn the vandalization and removal of the Mahatma Gandhi statue located at the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville, Melbourne by unidentified 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."
MEA's statement came after local media reports claimed that a bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville was stolen, sparking concern among the Indian Australian community in Melbourne.
Victoria Police on Monday stated that officers from the Police Knox Crime Investigation Unit are carrying out probe into the theft, which allegedly took place on January 12. Police believe the statue was stolen by three unknown people from the charity premises on Kingsley Close in Rowville at approximately 12:50 am (local time), 'The Australia Today' reported.
The investigation into the incident is being conducted with police advising scrap metal dealers to remain vigilant for any individual trying to sell the bronze statue and report any suspicious activity immediately. Furthermore, anyone with information, CCTV footage or who has seen the incident has been asked to contact Crime Stoppers, The Australia Today reported.
Notably, the Mahatma Gandhi statue gifted by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) was inaugurated by Australia's then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison in 2021 and holds cultural, historical and symbolic importance for the Indian community in the country.
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