ROQUE DIAS | NT
MARGAO
The shoddy investigation conducted by police into the earlier cases of desecration which have occurred in various parts of the state has probably led to the culprits daring to repeat such offences, feel Salcete residents.
The incidents of desecration which occurred earlier in the state include the vandalisation of a holy cross and a statue of Our Lady of Vailankani located at Acxem, Curtorim. The incident had occurred between December 31, 2014 and January 1, 2015. Cases of desecration also occurred at Bandha-Assolna and Benaulim around four years ago.
Residents of Salcete said that the fact that the police could not probe the incidents properly indicates the lack of police intelligence in handling the cases.
Three statues were stolen, while four others were broken at St Joseph Chapel at Assolna on September 22, 2013. Though the case was handed over to a specially constituted team, the case is yet to reach its logical end.
Salcete taluka has been shaken with a series of incidents of religious structures being desecrated by some miscreants recently. The incidents have occurred for three days since Sunday and a total of six crosses, one ‘ghumti’ and a Nandi idol were damaged by unknown persons. Though not reported, locals of Macazana confirmed that another cross was found broken in the interiors of Macazana on Wednesday.
The records reveal that at least seven to eight such cases wherein the incidents have occurred earlier have not been investigated properly by the police since the last five years despite plenty of time and technology being available at their disposal. While a couple of such cases were closed following the completion of probe by holding a mentally unsound person responsible for the desecrations, a few other cases were ignored after registering them.
Local sources said that the ‘Alma Khuris,’ which was desecrated on Saturday night at Chandor, was targeted for a second time. “That (December 2014) case was under investigation,” confirmed Maina Curtorim police inspector Gurudas Gaude.
“I cannot speak for the earlier cases, simply because I was not there. However, with regard to the recent cases of desecration which occurred since Saturday night, all I can say is these cases are on the right track of investigation,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police Dinraj Govekar, who is now promoted and awaiting his new posting. Superintendent of Police Chandan Chawdhary could not be contacted.
“Why have such cases occurred in a certain constituency? And that too in the opposition legislators’ areas?” questioned Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco.
While some say that the series of incidents targeting religious structures is a deliberate attempt to polarise the public ahead of the two bypolls to be held in the state, others point a finger at fanatic groups. Proper investigation into the cases will, however, provide the answer.