Mahatma Gandhi's statue near New York temple damaged

New York, August 19

In a possible hate crime, a group of six unidentified persons destroyed a handcrafted statue of Mahatma Gandhi with a sledgehammer at a Hindu temple here after vandalising it earlier this month.

India strongly condemned the “despicable action” and took up the matter with the US authorities to ensure those responsible for the act are held accountable.

The New York City Police Department in a statement said it was reported to the police that “a group of six unidentified male individuals damaged a religious statue with a sledge hammer in front of Tulsi Mandir”.

Surveillance video shows a person thrashing a statue of Gandhi, before smashing the head off and toppling it over.

“To see them coming after us like this is very painful,” Lakhram Maharaj, the founder of Tulsi Mandir situated in South Richmond Hill, was quoted as saying.

The Consulate General of India in New York in a statement said it “strongly condemns the vandalisation of the statue outside a temple in Queens, New York. We have taken up the matter with US authorities seeking a thorough investigation and action against guilty”.