Gandhi Statue Nearly Decapitated in Melbourne Hours After Unveiling

The Australian Indian Community Centre was celebrating 75 years of India's Independence.

The statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Melbourne that was vandalised. 

Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@VarthaBharatiEn)

In Melbourne, Australia, a life-sized statue of Mahatma Gandhi gifted by the Government of India was vandalised, NDTV reported on Monday, 15 November.

The prime minister of Australia, Scott Morrison, condemned the act and called it "disgraceful" as Indian-Australian community expressed shock.

"It is disgraceful and extremely disappointing to see this level of disrespect," as quoted by Australian media sources.

"Whoever is responsible for this has shown great disrespect to the Australian Indian community and should be ashamed," he added.

Police officials of Victoria State have said an unknown number of people tried to decapitate the statue between 5.30pm on Friday and 5.30pm on Saturday, only a few hours after Prime Minister Morrison unveiled it at the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville.

The Centre was celebrating 75 years of India's Independence, according to The Age.

Calling Australia a country that is both multicultural and pro-immigration, Morrison also said that perpetrators of attacks on cultural monuments will be punished severely.

Australia India Community Charitable Trust chair Vasan Srinivasan said that the offenders "were trying to cut the head off by grinding around it," according to SBS News.

"I never expected this thing could happen in Victoria," he added.

(WIth inputs from NDTV, The Age, and SBS News)