Many portraits and pictures of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, preserved and exhibited at the Gandhi Smarak Sangrhalaya (Gandhi Memorial Museum) in Barrackpore Cantonment area of West Bengal, have been allegedly defaced.

At least five pictures were also stolen from the museum, sources within the museum said.

"The sordid state of the museum was evident when the doors of the museum were opened on Monday morning," the source said.

"Miscreants had painted hair on his head, mustache and inscribed the words I Love You all over Gandhiji's photographs," sources added.

Besides, they tore all the captions of the photographs displayed by the museum in its exhibition hall.

While the incident had shocked Museum Director Dr Suprio Munshi, he was, however, reluctant to talk to the media in this regard. Nevertheless, the matter was yet to be brought to the notice of the police.

"Nothing was reported in this connection on behalf of the Museum authorities," police said on Tuesday.

Incidentally, while addressing media persons during his visit to the Gandhi Ashram at Sodepur in February, West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi said the maintenance of security to the museum at Barrackpore was the concern of the government and that it would look into the matter.