Mahatma Gandhi Statue Stolen from Melbourne's Indian Community Centre

A bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi has been stolen from the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville, Melbourne, triggering a police investigation and formal diplomatic intervention by India.

The incident has drawn sharp condemnation from New Delhi, with the Ministry of External Affairs raising the matter with Australian authorities and demanding immediate action.

India's Strong Response

MEA Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, responding to media queries on February 3, 2026, said India "strongly condemns the vandalization and removal" of the statue by unidentified persons.

"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 stated.

Statue's Significance

The bronze statue was gifted by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and inaugurated on November 12, 2021, by then-Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. It holds significant cultural, historical, and symbolic importance for the Indian-Australian community.

Police Investigation Underway

According to The Australia Today, police believe the statue was stolen by three unknown offenders from the charity premises on Kingsley Close, Rowville. Investigators are working to identify those responsible for the theft.

Community Concern

The theft has caused deep concern within Melbourne's Indian-Australian community, for whom the statue represented a cherished symbol of their heritage and Gandhian values of peace and non-violence.

The incident adds to a series of vandalism cases targeting Gandhi statues globally in recent years, often linked to ideological disputes over historical legacies.

Australian authorities have not yet issued a detailed public statement on the investigation's progress.