MARGAO: Two Crosses in Loutolim village were desecrated by unknown miscreants on Wednesday night. The Director-General of Police Muktesh Chander, and the Superintendent of police, South Goa, Arvind Gawas, visited these sites on Thursday. Irate locals have decided to conduct night vigil and walks to avoid further desecration of religious structures in the village.
A Cross at Vashem near Crystal Rock Garden and one at Carvota, both in Loutolim village were desecrated in one night. The villagers are highly confused/irked over the incidents in their otherwise peaceful village. The Cross at Vashem was broken and the cross Carvota was pushed in to the nullah behind.
The pressure on Goa Police is clear as the superintendent of Crime Branch Karthik Kashyap was also at South Goa and a held meeting with Vidhi Crime Branch Margao officials. The DGP visited all the sites of descretion in South Goa on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the GPCC President Shantaram Naik visited the desecrated religious sites and met with the SP, Crime Branch. “The Cross at Carvota has been desecrated probably after 4 am after damaging the one at Vashem. We have requested the people who have CCTV cameras installed at their commercial establishments and houses to provide the footage to help resolve the crisis. Let’s now hope and pray that we get some clues,” said Inacio Fernandes, Sarpanch of Loutolim.
“The Goa police is pulling in all its resources as these cases are priority. Since there are thousands of religious structures all over roads and areas, all of them cannot be manned by the Police. But we are piecing evidences together to decode the crime,” Kartik Kashyap said. He held a meeting with the PI of Special Branch CID Margao and PSI’s of other police station.
The Local Nuvem MLA Babashan De’sa said, “There is an attempt to disturb the unity of the community of the state, this is also a challenge to the police. Police need to create the blueprint of action properly to nab these miscreants who probably move in goups and may be armed too,” Babashan said. He also demanded that the places of religious importance need to be equipped with Satellite cams as their reach is more then the CCTVs.
“This is an attempt to disturb peace. This cross was built by a Hindu and was revered by all. Police have to buckle up,” said Panch Tony Vaz.
