Bust of Mahatma Gandhi beheaded on B.C. university campus
Authorities are asking witnesses to come forward after security at Simon Fraser University discovered the head of the school's Mahatma Gandhi bust had been removed.
It’s unclear when the head was stolen but police believe power tools were used in the theft.
A number of Gandhi statues across the country have been the target of vandalism in recent years, and police said SFU’s bust had previously been vandalized with paint.
On Monday, the Consulate General of India in Vancouver released a statement on the statue’s decapitation on Twitter.
"We strongly condemn heinous crime of vandalizing the statue of harbinger of peace Mahatma Gandhiji," read the statement. "The Canadian authorities are urged to investigate the matter urgently and bring the perpetrators to justice swiftly."
The university said it is supporting Burnaby RCMP in their investigation.
"We are deeply disappointed that someone would do such an act. Vandalism of any kind is unacceptable and will not be tolerated," read a tweet by SFU Communications.
According to the Burnaby Art Gallery website, the sculpture was created by the Wagh Brothers at their Fine Arts Studio in Bombay, India in 1969. The website adds the following description: "This bronze bust of Mahatma Gandhi, a profoundly spiritual man whose teachings continue to inspire others, was generously donated to SFU by the East Indian community of British Columbia."
As of Tuesday at noon, the entire statue had been removed.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Montreal doctors' breakthrough discovery about causes of cerebral palsy giving hope
A breakthrough discovery made by doctors at the Montreal Children's Hospital about the causes of cerebral palsy is giving new hope to one West Island family.
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Why Kim Kardashian is being sued for 'knockoff' furniture
The estate of minimalist contemporary artist Donald Judd filed a lawsuit against Kardashian this week, claiming the fashion and beauty mogul promoted 'cheap knockoffs' of his furniture designs.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87
Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries 'Roots,' has died. He was 87.