Staff Reporter: The statue of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the Indian nation, has been smashed by miscreants.The statue, erected in Central Park in the Davis area of Northern California, was cut off at the ankle on Thursday, local time. Some parts of the face have also been cut off. The six-and-a-half-foot-tall, 650-pound (294kg) statue, donated by India in 2016, is made of bronze.
Last year, another Gandhi statue in front of the Indian embassy in Washington was attacked by Khalistani supporters. The demolition of the idol came to light on the morning of January 27. However, it is not clear exactly when the statue was broken. Who or what, how the statue was broken is being investigated.
Davis City Councilman Lucas Frerix said the damaged statue had been moved to a safer location. It will be re-installed after reset.
The statue is an icon to some residents of the area, said Davis Police Deputy Central Chief Paul Doroshov. As a result, the incident of breaking the idol is being taken seriously.
Some anti-Gandhi and anti-India organizations strongly opposed the installation of the statue. They were led by the Organization for Minorities in India (OFMI).
But despite opposition, the Davis administration voted in favor of the statue. Since then, the OMFI has been protesting against the removal of Gandhi.
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