2 statues of former Australian premiers decapitated

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - Australian police on Friday said nearly two dozen statues in Victoria state, including those of two former prime ministers, were vandalized.

In a statement, Victoria police said they are investigating after a large number of statues were vandalized in the Lake Wendouree region by unknown people on Thursday.

They also removed and stole the heads from statues of Paul Keating, now 81 years old, and Kevin Rudd, 67, two former Labor premiers.

"Officers received reports that about 20 statues were damaged in the Ballarat Botanical Gardens on Wendouree Parade. The statue heads of two former Australian prime ministers have been removed and stolen," said police in a statement.

The nameplates of the remaining statues were also covered in spray paint, they added.