Top entities: Mahatma Gandhi, Australia — Melbourne, Australia — Victoria, India — Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Scott Morrison.

What category does this event fall under?

International — classified as statue theft.

What is the market impact?

General. This event has no direct financial market impact.

What is the sentiment of coverage?

Aggregate sentiment score: -10 on a -100 to +100 scale (negative = critical coverage, positive = favorable coverage).

Is this event still developing?

This event is archived — the story has concluded and this page is a final snapshot.

International statue theft

Mahatma Gandhi Statue Stolen Melbourne

Q: When did this event occur?

First reported Feb 03, 2026; last updated Feb 03, 2026.

Analysis based on 23 articles · First reported Feb 03, 2026 · Last updated Feb 03, 2026

Sentiment

-10

Attention

Articles

Market Impact

General

Live prominence charts, article sentiment distribution, and event development timeline available on the Ergen Dashboard

Market Impact

This event has no direct financial market impact. It is a cultural and diplomatic incident between India and Australia, with local law enforcement investigating the theft.

Law Enforcement International Relations

Event Summary

A 426-kg bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi was stolen from the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville, Australia — Melbourne, on January 12. The thieves used an angle grinder to cut the statue from its base. India has strongly condemned the theft and urged Australian authorities to recover the statue and hold the culprits accountable. Australia — Victoria's Knox Crime Investigation Unit is investigating the incident, reviewing CCTV footage, and has alerted scrap metal dealers. The statue, a gift from the India — Indian Council for Cultural Relations, was unveiled in 2021 by former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and had been vandalized previously.