India’s ambassador to Italy Rajiv Dogra and President of Turin city council Giuseppe Castronov, jointly inaugurated the heavily-guarded statue after a gang of thieves first stole it from the Milan airport and then made an abortive attempt to smuggle it across the border.
According to sources, the thieves stole the statue from Milan airport almost immediately after it reached from Kolkata, loaded it in their truck and sped out of Milan.
They reached the border town of Pordenone in North-East Italy, close to Slovenia, without detection. A 30-minute delay by the police would have resulted in the bronze bust being spirited away, the sources said.
The bust was commissioned and gifted by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. It was sculpted by famous Indian Sculptor Gautam Pal. Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Dogra said that Gandhian ideals continue to inspire young people around the world.
