A bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi was stolen from outside the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville, Melbourne, sparking outrage among the Indian diaspora. The 426-kilogram statue, a gift from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), New Delhi, held immense cultural, historical, and symbolic significance for the Indian community in Australia.
The theft reportedly occurred around 12:50 am on Monday. Three unidentified individuals, wearing balaclavas, used an angle grinder to cut the statue from its foundation, leaving only its feet behind. The crime was partially captured on the building’s CCTV, and the authorities were alerted the following day. Santosh Kumar, a committee member at the Australian Indian Community Charitable Trust, expressed deep disappointment, stating, “We are sorry to see the statue of a national leader is gone. A white van arrived with people covered in balaclavas, and the details have been passed to police.”
Victoria Police’s Knox Crime Investigation Unit is actively investigating the case. Authorities have also cautioned scrap metal dealers to report any suspicious attempts to sell the statue’s bronze material.
The statue, inaugurated on November 12, 2021, by former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, had already been vandalized within 24 hours of its installation. The recent theft comes amid rising anti-India sentiment in Australia, reportedly linked to Khalistan-related extremist groups. In July 2025, the Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Boronia was defaced with racist graffiti, along with two nearby Asian-run restaurants, triggering police investigations and widespread community concern.
This incident has intensified fears over the safety of Indian cultural symbols and institutions in Australia, highlighting the need for stronger community protection measures and vigilance against hate-driven attacks.
