After Canada, Mahatma Gandhi's statue vandalised in public park in Punjab's Bhatinda

A statue of Mahatma Gandhi was vandalised by some unidentified people at a public park in Ramman Mandi, police  said on Saturday. The incident took place on the intervening night between Thursday and Friday, they said.

Locals strongly condemned the incident when they came to know about the vandalism. Station House Officer (Sadar) Harjot Singh Mann said they are investigating the matter, and have registered a case at Ramman Mandi Police Station.

Punjab | A statue of Mahatma Gandhi situated at a public park in Rama Mandi was vandalised by unidentified miscreants in Bathinda last night. A case under section 379, 427 registered: Harjot Singh, In-charge Rama Mandi PS pic.twitter.com/oyfKZJlMTG

— ANI (@ANI) July 16, 2022

District Urban Congress President Ashok Kumar Singla, demanded immediate arrest of those who were behind the incident. The police assured that the culprits would be nabbed soon. They said CCTV footage of the area is being examined to trace the culprits.

Just a few days prior to this incident in Bhatinda, a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Canadian province of Ontario was vandalised. According to reports, the monument at Vishnu Mandir near Yonge Street and Garden Avenue was vandalised.

The local police described the vandalism as hate and a “bias-motivated incident.”

Taking to Twitter, the Indian Consulate General in Toronto said, “We are distressed at the desecration of the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Vishnu temple in Richmond Hill. This criminal, hateful act of vandalism has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Indian community in Canada. We are in contact with Canadian authorities to investigate this hate crime.”

We are distressed at the desecration of Mahatma Gandhi statue at Vishnu temple in Richmond Hill. This criminal, hateful act of vandalism has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Indian community in Canada: Indian consulate in Toronto

— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) July 14, 2022