A statue of Mahatma Gandhi outside the Indian embassy in Washington DC was vandalised, amid the ongoing protests in the United States. The incident is reported to have taken place on the intervening night of June 2 and 3, news agency PTI reported.
The Indian embassy has informed the US State Department and registered a complaint with local law enforcement agencies, which are now conducting an investigation into the incident, PTI reported.
"So sorry to see the desecration of the Gandhi statue in Wash, DC. Please accept our sincere apologies. Appalled as well by the horrific death of George Floyd and the awful violence and vandalism. We stand against prejudice and discrimination of any type. We will recover and be better," US ambassador to India Kenneth Juster tweeted.
The statue was covered up after it was vandalised.
The statue of Mahatma Gandhi was dedicated by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in the presence of the then US President Bill Clinton on September 16, 2000 during his state visit to the US, PTI reported.
The US has been seeing massive protests against the killing of George Floyd, a black man who suffocated beneath the knee of a white police officer on May 25, and whose agonizing death was filmed by bystanders.
Several of the protests have turned violent which many times has resulted in damage of some prestigious and sacred monuments.
Mahatma Gandhi Statue Vandalised In UP's Sultanpur, Cops Launch Probe This US City Has Been Declared America's Least Desirable, Survey Finds Mahatma Gandhi's Statue Removed In Assam, Chief Minister Says "Not Aware" MK Stalin Asks Centre To Recall Tamil Nadu Governor In Row Over Anthem Watch: Harris's Witty Reply Stumps Hecklers Backing Trump, Crowd Applauds Can Hamas Recover After Yahya Sinwar's Killing? What Experts Say Vistara's Delhi-London Flight Diverted To Frankfurt After Bomb Threat Harris, Trump Barnstorm Key State Michigan, Where Polls Say They're Tied 2 Brothers Found Dead Amid Rituals In Chhattisgarh: Cops Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.