Mahatma Gandhi statue stolen from the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville

In yet another act of cultural vandalism in Victoria, a statue of Mahatma Gandhi was stolen from the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville. CCTV footage shows two men using an angle grinder to cut the 400kg solid bronze sculpture off at the ankles at 1.00am on January 12, 2026. 

The stolen Statue 

Image: The Indian Sun Facebook page post of 2/2/2026

The statue was gift of the Indian Government to the Centre in 2021 and was unveiled by then Prime Minister, Scott Morrison. The statue had survived an earlier attempt at vandalism, when thieves tried to remove the head soon after it was unveiled.

The Guardian newspaper reported in February that - the spokesperson for India’s ministry of external affairs, Randhir Jaiswa, said the government had raised the matter with Australia. “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,” he said in a statement posted to social media.

Sadly, one more example of a statue which held great meaning to community members being violently destroyed for its metal value. 

The remains of the statue with Mr Vasan Srinivasan of the 

 Australian Indian Community Charitable Trust.

Image: https://www.9news.com.au/national/gandhi-statue-stolen-adored-bronze-gandhi-statue-taken-from-indian-charity/fbab3c80-90c8-41e3-963a-32930db0bad7

Sources

Indian government urges Australia to ‘hold the culprits accountable’ over theft of Gandhi statue in Melbourne, The Guardian February 4, 2026 -  https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/feb/04/gandhi-statue-melbourne-theft-indian-government-australia 

Thieves use angle grinder to steal 'adored' bronze Gandhi statue from Melbourne charity, February 4, 2026 https://www.9news.com.au/national/gandhi-statue-stolen-adored-bronze-gandhi-statue-taken-from-indian-charity/fbab3c80-90c8-41e3-963a-32930db0bad7