Union Minister G Kishan Reddy reviewed the progress of work at Telangana's AIIMS Bibinagar campus on Tuesday, pointing out that people will be able to access the Ayush Department for treatment once the hospital is completed. Speaking to reporters, Reddy said, "All the new buildings are almost complete. Even in the old section, the emergency block is ready... As soon as the hospital starts functioning, people will receive proper services from the Ayush department as well." "This is a super-speciality hospital, and it is also very close to nature... The AIIMS hospital will have connectivity to every district of Telangana, improving connectivity and transportation," he added. Executive Director of AIIMS Bibinagar, Amita Aggarwal, stated that they wished for the people from other states to visit the hospital along with Telangana's citizens. Highlighting the advanced use of telemedicine adopted by the hospital, she said, "We are currently using telemedicine to connect with people throughout Telangana. Anyone who needs it can consult us through telemedicine from any primary health centre or community health centre, and we are available to them... As soon as our new building is completed, we can provide the best emergency services to the surrounding villages and towns." Meanwhile, Union Minister Kishan Reddy had also stated that the Union Budget 2026-27 is a strong initiative to achieve India's 2047 goals, adding that some parties wrongly believe a Budget is only about giving free schemes. Earlier, on July 14 last year, the first Make-in-India, cost-effective, advanced Carbon Fibre Foot Prosthesis, indigenously designed and developed by DRDO's Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL) and AIIMS Bibinagar, Telangana, was unveiled at AIIMS Bibinagar, Telangana, according to the Ministry of Defence. AIIMS Bibinagar - DRDL, DRDO Indigenously Developed Optimised Carbon Foot Prosthesis (ADIDOC), a major breakthrough under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, was launched by Distinguished Scientist & Director, DRDL, Dr GA Srinivasa Murthy and Executive Director, AIIMS Bibinagar, Dr Ahanthem Santa Singh.ADIDOC is biomechanically tested to loads up to 125 kgs with a sufficient factor of safety. It has three variants to cater to patients of different weights. This foot is designed with the goal of offering a high-quality and affordable solution accessible to a larger population in need, while delivering performance at par with available international models. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
04 February,2026 11:07 AM IST | Yadadri Bhuvanagiri | ANITremors were felt in parts of Kolkata following reports of an earthquake in neighbouring countries, such as Myanmar, Bangladesh and Tibet, on Tuesday, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS). Locals reported feeling tremors after their surroundings began shaking, after which they realised there was an earthquake. Speaking to ANI, Mrityunjay Das said he saw things shaking, which led him to realise an earthquake was occurring. "We felt the tremors. Later, we felt that the lamp and chair had moved from their position, which is when we got to know that there was an earthquake," he said. Another local said he felt a jerk at his shop, "A little while ago, when I was in the shop, I felt a sudden jerk. Later, I got to know that there was an earthquake." Earlier on Tuesday, an earthquake of magnitude 6.0 struck Myanmar at about 9:04 PM. It occurred at a depth of 27 km, making it susceptible to aftershocks. The earthquake was felt at a latitude of 20.42 degrees North and a longitude of 93.88 degrees East. Another earthquake of magnitude 5.3 struck Myanmar at 9:21 pm, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) website. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 20 km. The earthquake was felt at a latitude of 20.45 degrees North and a longitude of 93.86 degrees East. Meanwhile, an earthquake of magnitude 4.1 also struck Bangladesh on Tuesday, a statement by the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) said. As per the NCS, the earthquake occurred at a depth of 150km. In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of M: 4.1, On: 03/02/2026 04:06:46 IST, Lat: 22.84 N, Long: 89.01 E, Depth: 150 Km, Location: Bangladesh." An earthquake of magnitude 3.2 also struck Tibet yesterday, a statement by the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) said. The earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 10km, making it susceptible to aftershocks. It is estimated that an earthquake occurs every 30 seconds somewhere on Earth. But the bulk of those are too weak to be identified. A magnitude 4.0 earthquake is only equivalent to about 6 tons of TNT explosives, but because the Richter scale is a base-10 logarithmic scale, the amount of energy released increases exponentially: A magnitude 5.0 earthquake is about 200 tons of TNT, 7.0 is 199,000 tons, and 9.0 is 99,000,000 tons of TNT, The Daily Star reported. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
04 February,2026 11:06 AM IST | Kolkata | ANIThe Indian Army is conducting an intelligence-based joint operation along with the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in the Basantgarh area of Udhampur district after contact was established with terrorists on Tuesday afternoon. According to officials, troops of CIF Delta under the White Knight Corps, along with personnel from the J&K Police and CRPF, established contact with the terrorists at around 4 pm in the general area of Basantgarh. Security forces had launched a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) after receiving specific intelligence inputs regarding the movement of unidentified suspects in Johpar-Marta village of Ramnagar tehsil. The search operation turned into a confrontation when the hiding terrorists opened fire on the security personnel. The forces immediately retaliated, triggering an exchange of gunfire in the forested terrain. To prevent any escape of those terrorists, additional reinforcements have been rushed to the area, and all exit points have been sealed. A cordon has been established around the site, and the operation is currently underway. The joint operation involves troops from CIF Delta, the White Knight Corps, the Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the CRPF. Confirming the development, the White Knight Corps in an X post had said, "Operation Kiya. In an intelligence-based joint Operation, contact has been established with the terrorists by the Troops of CIF Delta, #WhiteKnightCorps, @JmuKmrPolice and #CRPF at around 4 pm today in the general area of Basantgarh. Cordon has been established. Firefight is on. Operation is in progress," the White Knight Corps wrote on X. Further details are awaited as the operation continues. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
04 February,2026 11:05 AM IST | Jammu and Kashmir | ANIRajya Sabha on Tuesday continued discussion on motion of thanks on the President's address with the members from treasury benches hailing achievements of the government and the opposition members accusing it not addressing problems concerning the common man. Some opposition members also spoke about the India-US trade deal and said there was need for the government to protect the farming and dairy sector. They said they came to know of the agreement from US President Donald Trump and not their own government. Earlier in the day, Union Minister and BJP leader JP Nadda said that the government will make a statement on the deal in the Parliament soon. Opposition members also staged a walk out. In the Lok Sabha, the standoff between the opposition and government escalated after eight opposition MPs were suspended for "unruly behaviour" and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the government of not allowing him to proceed with his speech on the motion of thanks to the President's address. Eight opposition members were suspended from Lok Sabha for the remainder of the budget session for violating rules and "throwing papers on the chair" following uproar in the House over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's insistence on mentioning a specific reference about the standoff with China in eastern Ladakh in 2020. The House, which witnessed two adjournments earlier in the day, resumed proceedings at 3 pm and Rahul Gandhi, who is Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, said that he would not refer to any magazine article about former Army Chief Gen MM Naravane's memoirs but briefly speak about Chinese action during the Kailash Range standoff. The government has said that Rahul Gandhi cannot quote from an unpublished memoir or a magazine article based on it. TDP MP, Krishna Prasad Tenneti, who was in the Chair asked Rahul Gandhi to resume his speech on the motion of thanks to the President's Address and follow the ruling already given by Speaker Om Birla. As Rahul Gandhi insisted on making his intended remarks, the Chair called other members to speak ion he motion of thanks to the President's Address. Congress and opposition members resorted to sloganeering, which intensified after a TDP member started making his speech.Amid uproar, some members were seen throwing papers. The House was adjourned till 3 pm. When the House resumed its proceedings, BJP member Dilip Saikia, who was in the Chair, named eight opposition members. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju moved the motion for suspension of the eight members for the remainder of the budget session for "violating rules and throwing papers on the chair" The motion was adopted by the House amid protests from the opposition members. The opposition MPs who have been suspended for the remainder of the session are Congress members Hibi Eden, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Manickam Tagore, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Prashant Yadaorao Padole, Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy, and Dean Kuriakose, and CPI-M member S. Venkatesan. Rahul Gandhi also wrote to Speaker Om Birla, raising concerns over "being prevented from speaking" on matters of national security during the discussion on Motion of Thanks to the President's Address. In his letter, he stated that he had followed parliamentary convention by authenticating a document he intended to cite, but despite fulfilling this requirement, he was not permitted to speak on the matter. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
04 February,2026 11:01 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesFor Shubhada Rohit Kawale, the idea of service is not a proverb but a practice. Years after retiring as a chemistry professor, she still opens her notebook every day in Sangamner, not for personal pursuits, but for students who cannot afford expensive coaching and quietly fear the Maharashtra State Board examinations. During her nearly 30-year teaching career at Dr DA Ohra College, Sangamner, Kawale noticed a troubling pattern every exam season. Capable students faltered, not due to lack of knowledge, but because they lacked guidance, emotional support, and financial means. Many rural students, she realised, accepted failure as inevitable simply because personal mentoring, counselling, and coaching were beyond their reach. That realisation stayed with her long after retirement. Instead of stepping away from teaching, Kawale chose to step closer to such students. For the past five years, she has been guiding grassroots-level Std XII students across Sangamner taluka in Ahilyanagar district, helping them prepare for board examinations through free classes, counselling, and structured academic support, entirely free of cost. Known as a student-friendly teacher, she connects easily with teenagers and believes education must address the mind as much as the syllabus. Dr Rohit Shriniwas Kawale and Shubhada Rohit Kawale. Pic/By Special Arrangement Her experience taught her that confidence-building and emotional reassurance are as crucial as academic instruction. With this belief, she formed the Maitry Group in 2014 along with like-minded educators to guide adolescents dealing with academic stress and personal challenges. Kawale also serves as Secretary of the Marathi Vidnyan Parishad, Sangamner region. Education runs deep in the Kawale family. Her husband, Dr Rohit Shriniwas Kawale, served in the Department of English at Sangamner College for 36 years and retired in 2019 as professor and head. He has guided MPhil and PhD scholars, authored three books, worked for over a decade with Balbharati’s English Language Committee, and translated Marathi literary works into English. The couple continues the academic legacy of Dr Kawale’s father, the late Dr Shriniwas Kawale, former Vice Principal of Pune’s Sir Parshurambhau College. Despite shifting to Pune post retirement, they chose to continue devoting their time and expertise to a small town like Sangamner. “From the beginning, we realised rural students truly need access to experience and mentorship,” Kawale says. “We decided to guide anyone who approached us.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kawale recognised the need to reach students beyond physical classrooms. She developed a digital platform through which she shares short videos on effective study techniques, answer paper presentation, exam strategies, and career counselling. She has also conducted programmes in schools and women’s groups on parenting, self-awareness, responsible mobile phone use, and sensitive topics like good touch and bad touch. “The digital platform allows me to connect with students from any corner. Physically, it is not always possible to visit every school or college,” she explains. Teaching, Kawale says, has always been her passion. “While working, teachers are occupied with exams, practicals, and administrative duties. After retirement, I am enjoying pure teaching, calming fears, and guiding students without pressure,” she says. ‘Your child is important, not the exam’ As board exams approach, anxiety rises among both students and parents. Sleepless nights, fear of forgetting answers, and pressure to perform often overshadow months of preparation. According to Kawale, stress, not the syllabus, is the biggest obstacle to exam performance. “Every parent must assure their child that the child is more important than the exam. They need understanding, not pressure,” she says. One of the most common reasons students forget answers during exams, Kawale notes, is a lack of sleep. Sound sleep helps transfer learning into long-term memory, while excessive tea, coffee, energy drinks or memory-enhancing medicines, can worsen recall. She advises short breaks, light exercise, and walking to improve blood circulation and alertness. She strongly discourages last-minute attempts to cover the entire syllabus. When it comes to writing the paper, Kawale stresses discipline and clarity. Students should read questions carefully, answer in sequence, avoid leaving blanks, and write even partial answers, as they can fetch marks. Clear handwriting, proper numbering, and underlining key points make a significant difference. Parents should avoid comparisons, shouting, or repeatedly discussing completed papers. On the exam day, Kawale advises students to reach centres early, carry only permitted materials, and remain calm. “After the paper, do not analyse answers or mistakes. It increases stress and affects the next exam,” she warns. She recalls a student who scored zero in maths during prelims but went on to score 75 in the board exam with teacher guidance, and parental support.
04 February,2026 09:39 AM IST | Mumbai | Archana DahiwalThe Bihar government on Tuesday presented a Rs 3.47 lakh crore budget, asserting that the state was making progress at a rapid pace and estimated growth rate for the current fiscal was an impressive 14.9 per cent. The Budget was tabled in the state assembly by Finance Minister Bijendra Yadav. The annual scheme outlay is stated to be around Rs 1.22 lakh crore, with the Rural Development Department getting a lion’s share of 18.33 per cent, followed by education (15.02), health (8.21), urban development and housing (7.77), rural works (7.29) and social welfare (6.86). This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
04 February,2026 09:23 AM IST | Patna | AgenciesThe Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has finalised Himgauri Aher-Adke as its candidate for the post of Mayor of Nashik. Her victory appears certain due to the BJP’s strong numerical position in the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC). Himgauri Aher-Adke and Machhindra Sanap, son of former mayor Balasaheb Sanap, filed their nomination papers as BJP candidates for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor, respectively, on the final day for submitting nominations. Their candidature was announced by state minister Girish Mahajan during a party meeting, a BJP leader said. Himgauri Aher-Adke is the niece of former state health minister Daulatrao Aher. Meanwhile, Seema Pawar of Shiv Sena (UBT) has also filed her nomination for the mayor’s post. Deputy mayor contest Apart from Machhindra Sanap, Rahul Dive, Vilas Shinde, and Pravin Tidme of the Shiv Sena have filed their nomination papers for the post of deputy mayor. Elections for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor of the Nashik Municipal Corporation will be held on February 6. Aher-Adke’s victory appears certain as the BJP holds 72 seats in the 122-member NMC. The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has 26 corporators, Shiv Sena (UBT) has 15, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has four, the Congress has three, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has one, and there is one Independent corporator. Kishori Pednekar likely to be the leader of Opposition in BMC Former Mumbai mayor and Shiv Sena (UBT) elected corporator from Lower Parel, Kishori Pednekar, is likely to take charge as the Leader of the Opposition in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), according to information from the office of the municipal secretary. The development comes after the completion of party-wise registration of corporators following the recent elections. Apart from the Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, all political parties had completed their party-wise registrations earlier. However, the 29 corporators of the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) have now also completed their registration process. On Tuesday, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Nationalist Congress Party (SP) completed the registration of their four corporators at Konkan Bhavan. With this, all 227 corporators have completed their registrations with the Mumbai civic body, the office of the municipal secretary confirmed. Leadership roles finalised The Leader of the House from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will be Ganesh Khankar, as the BJP has emerged as the single largest party in the BMC. Both Ganesh Khankar and Kishori Pednekar are expected to hold their respective positions for a five-year tenure, unless their parties decide otherwise during the term, sources said. (with PTI inputs)
03 February,2026 10:13 PM IST | Nashik | mid-day online correspondentFormer Maharashtra Home Minister and senior Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP SP) leader Anil Deshmukh on Tuesday called for an investigation under the supervision of a High Court judge into the plane crash that killed Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, saying it was necessary to dispel public “suspicion” and “doubt” over whether the incident was an accident or an act of sabotage, reported the PTI. The plane crash occurred at Baramati in Pune district on January 28, claiming the lives of NCP chief Ajit Pawar and four others. Referring to comments made by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, Deshmukh said questions had emerged following contradictory explanations surrounding the crash. Speaking to a television news channel, Deshmukh noted that the Civil Aviation Minister had initially attributed the accident to poor visibility during landing and an inadequately visible airstrip. However, he pointed out that videos circulating in the public domain appeared to show the aircraft tilting mid-air before suddenly flipping and crashing, as per the PTI. “These visuals have raised serious doubts about whether this was merely an accident or something more sinister,” Deshmukh said. Calls for independent and transparent probe Deshmukh stressed that while the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) would carry out its statutory investigation, the sensitivity of the matter warranted additional oversight. He said several senior NCP leaders, including Chhagan Bhujbal, as well as MLAs such as Amol Mitkari, had also expressed concerns over the manner in which the crash took place, as per the PTI. Supporting Sanjay Raut’s demand, Deshmukh said a probe monitored by a High Court judge would ensure transparency and help establish the truth. “Only such an investigation can clearly determine whether this was sabotage or an accident, and reassure the people of Maharashtra and the country,” he added, the news agency reported. In the wake of the tragedy, Deshmukh also urged Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to avoid travelling in small private chartered aircraft, citing safety concerns. Talks on possible NCP merger Deshmukh further disclosed that several rounds of talks had taken place between the ruling NCP faction and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) over a possible merger. According to him, the NCP (SP) leadership held 14 meetings with Ajit Pawar, many of which he personally attended along with leaders such as Shashikant Shinde, Harshvardhan Patil, Rajesh Tope, Jitendra Awhad, Rohit Pawar, Supriya Sule and Jayant Patil, the PTI reported. He revealed that one meeting at Jayant Patil’s residence lasted from 10 pm to 3 am, involving detailed discussions. Another meeting was held between Supriya Sule, Ajit Pawar and Sunil Tatkare. Deshmukh said further disclosures would be made after the mourning period concludes. “At present, this is not the appropriate time. Once the period of mourning ends, our leaders will reveal where the meetings took place, who attended them, and what decisions were discussed,” he said, adding that Supriya Sule would address the matter in due course, the news agency reported. (with PTI inputs)
03 February,2026 09:57 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentY Khemchand Singh was elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party in Manipur on Tuesday, paving the way for the formation of a popular government in the northeastern state with him as chief minister. Nemcha Kipgen, a woman Kuki leader and former minister, is likely to be the deputy chief minister in the new Manipur government when it is formed, sources said. A meeting of the legislators of all constituents of the National Democratic Alliance will be held on Tuesday night, where Singh and Kipgen's names are expected to be endorsed. Sources said Singh, a former minister, was elected as leader of the Manipur legislature party at a meeting of BJP MLAs held at the party headquarters here. Except for two BJP MLAs, who are unwell, all other party legislators attended the meeting. Former chief minister N Biren Singh, Assembly speaker Satyabrata Singh, BJP state president A Sharda Devi, the party's central observer Tarun Chugh and its northeast in-charge Sambit Patra, among others, were also present at the meeting. The legislature party meeting was held days ahead of the expiry of the second spell of the President's rule on February 12. Manipur has been under President's rule since February 13, 2025. The 60-member Assembly, which has tenure till 2027, was put on suspended animation after President's rule was imposed. Currently, there are 37 BJP MLAs in Manipur. Initially, 32 BJP candidates had won the 2022 assembly elections. The JD(U) had won six seats, and five of its MLAs later defected to the BJP. Among others, six are from the National People's Party (NPP), five from the Naga People's Front (NPF), five from the Congress, two from the Kuki People's Alliance, one from Janata Dal (United) and three Independents. One seat is vacant following the death of a sitting MLA. The NPF and NPP are part of the NDA in Manipur. Over the past few months, the BJP's central leadership held several rounds of meetings with its Meitei and Kuki MLAs, allies NPF and NPP and a few Independent legislators to gauge their views on whether the political situation was conducive for the formation of a popular government, the sources said. On December 14, the BJP's national general secretary (organisation), B L Santhosh, and Sambit Patra met BJP MLAs from the warring Meitei and Kuki communities in Delhi under one roof. President's rule was imposed in the state after the BJP-led government headed by Biren Singh resigned on February 9 last year, following months of ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities. After the imposition of the President's rule, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla took a number of steps to restore peace and bring back normalcy, including asking those who looted arms from security forces to surrender them. The violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities started in May 2023 after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribes status. At least 260 people lost their lives, and thousands were displaced during the violence. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
03 February,2026 08:56 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIA technical snag was detected in a helicopter hours before it was scheduled to transport Maharashtra Minister Pankaja Munde for campaigning for the Zilla Parishad polls in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, an airport official said on Tuesday. The snag was found late on Monday night hours before the BJP leader was to fly to Latur, he said. According to officials, Munde arrived in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on a chartered plane on Monday and took the helicopter for poll campaigning later in the day. However, when the aviation company conducted a routine inspection later that night, they found some technical issues with the chopper and informed the authorities at the Chikalthana airport, they said. The chopper was scheduled to transport the BJP leader to Latur around 11 am on Tuesday, but her journey was delayed by two hours, the official said. Talking to reporters, Munde said that the helicopter was old, but she didn't raise the issue and continued her travel. She said ever since NCP leader Ajit Pawar's tragic death in the January 28 crash in Baramati, flying has caused anxiety among party leaders. Munde has been campaigning extensively for the February 7 Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti polls, and has held rallies in Marathwada. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed along with four others after a chartered aircraft crashed at Baramati in Pune district last week. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
03 February,2026 07:43 PM IST | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar | PTIIndia on Tuesday strongly condemned the vandalisation and removal of a Mahatma Gandhi statue from the Australian Indian Community Centre in Melbourne and said the matter has been taken up with the Australian authorities, reported the IANS. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday said that it has urged Australia to take immediate action to recover the missing statue and bring those responsible to justice. Responding to media queries, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India strongly objected to the act carried out by unidentified individuals at the community centre in Rowville, Melbourne. “We strongly condemn the vandalisation and removal of the Mahatma Gandhi statue located at the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville, Melbourne. We have raised the matter with the Australian authorities and urged them to take immediate action to recover the missing statue and hold the culprits accountable,” he said, according to the IANS. Police probe underway The MEA statement followed after media reports stated that a bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi was reportedly stolen from the community centre, causing concern among the Indian-Australian community in Melbourne, as per the IANS. According to Australia's Victoria Police, officers from the Knox Crime Investigation Unit are probing the incident, which allegedly took place on January 12. Police believe that three unidentified individuals removed the statue from the charity premises on Kingsley Close, Rowville, at around 12.50 am local time. A probe into the matter was ongoing. Public appeal for information As part of the investigation, the police have alerted scrap metal dealers to remain vigilant for any attempt to sell the bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi and to report any suspicious activity to the police immediately. Members of the public who may have information, CCTV footage, or who witnessed the incident have been asked to contact Crime Stoppers, local media reported. Statue’s cultural significance The Mahatma Gandhi statue, gifted by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), was inaugurated in 2021 by Australia’s then Prime Minister Scott Morrison. The statue holds cultural, historical and symbolic significance for the Indian community in Australia, according to the news agency. (with IANS inputs)
03 February,2026 07:21 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
-1770131865176_d.png "Y Khemchand Singh (left) set to become Manipur CM, Nemcha Kipgen likely deputy. Pics/ X @@KipgenNemchaYKhemchandSingh/")
-1770124462309_d.png "Maharashtra minister Pankaja Munde’s campaign flight delayed after technical issue in chopper. File Pic")
