Local residents and political parties staged a protest against the incident. (File photo)

A statue of Mahatma Gandhi was vandalised by unidentified people at a college in Uttar Pradesh's Jalaun district, police said on Friday.

The matter was reported by the Principal of the Gandhi Inter College, Orai, Ravi Kumar, on Friday morning, Superintendent of Police Satish Kumar said.

The officer said a First Information Report has been registered against unidentified persons on a compliant from the college and work to repair the statue has started.

Local residents and political parties staged a protest against the incident.

Congress district president Shyam Sundar claimed that the statue was unveiled by former prime minister Indira Gandhi and demanded installation of a new statue.

Mr Sundar said according to Hindu dharma, a damaged statue is replaced and not repaired. "We will stage a dharna (sit-in) till a new statue is installed," he said.