A disturbing act of vandalism in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, has ignited widespread outrage and renewed conversations about women’s safety and public respect in India. Murals depicting women in yoga poses, painted along a roadside wall as part of the city’s Smart City beautification project, were deliberately defaced with crude scratches. The damage appeared intentional, with specific parts of the female figures targeted, transforming art meant to promote health and discipline into a symbol of disrespect.

Women are not safe even in Grafitti

In Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, a young man tried fixing graffiti of Yoga poses on the wall which was defaced by miscreants. pic.twitter.com/LwnoFOWUiX

— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) January 5, 2026

Viral Video Sparks Debate Beyond Vandalism

The incident came to public attention after an Instagram reel from the site went viral. In the video, a man questions the mindset behind the act, pointing out that even faceless, minimalist silhouettes of women were not spared from vulgar treatment.

The clip quickly spread across social media platforms, prompting anger, disappointment, and a broader debate about civic sense and the everyday objectification of women in public spaces.

Murals Were Faceless, Yet Still Targeted

The murals consisted of simple black silhouettes of women performing yoga asanas. Notably, the figures did not include facial features or detailed anatomy and were designed solely to beautify the area while encouraging fitness. Despite this, the defacement was not random. Scratches were placed in a manner that distorted the forms and gave them an indecent appearance, suggesting a deeper issue of gender-based disrespect rather than casual mischief.

One user wrote, “We are saying that we are free. Is this freedom? Then people are asking, “What was our girl wearing?” An animal remains an animal no matter how well trained it is.”

Another said, “Sick mentality in men and women is more aggressive and common in Hindi belt than anywhere in country.”

Public Reaction: ‘A Reflection of a Deeper Mindset’

Social media users condemned the vandalism strongly, calling it evidence of a “perverted” or “cheap” mindset. Many argued that if even symbolic representations of women cannot exist without being targeted, it raises serious questions about how women are treated in real life. Several users linked the incident to broader concerns about women’s safety, victim-blaming, and the normalization of disrespect in society.

One person commented, “They should paint women again and let everybody know that respecting women is humanity. It should be mentioned on the wall that culprit can be jailed for trying to sexualize the paintings.”

Another stated, “It is like.. we can’t fix the cheap mindset.. so girls should stay in home or wear dupatta when stepping out. Can’t find the culprits hence erase the art itself. This is more upsetting now. Until and unless they are redoing it completely, that would be nice.”

Community Steps In as Authorities Investigate

Amid the outrage, a local resident took the initiative to repaint and restore the damaged sections of the murals. Videos showing the restoration effort were shared online, drawing praise for the immediate, community-led response. However, many users noted that while walls can be repainted quickly, changing attitudes is a far more complex challenge.

Local authorities have acknowledged the incident and are reportedly reviewing footage related to the vandalism. As of now, no arrests have been made, and the culprits remain unidentified.

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