Social Media has been on fire these last few days with posts and counter posts on the burning issue of desecration of places of worship. And I could not help adding a little fuel to the fire. My comment on facebook read:
“The attack on Christian places of worship and burial appear to have been planned to gauze the reactions of the Catholics. There may be a halt to such attacks after some time. But the police may never catch the real culprits even if able to. The Police may finally arrest a “fall guy” (petty criminal) who will publicly confess his crimes (after having been given the treatment). The ‘fall guy” is more likely to be Muslim and may be even Catholic. If the arrested is Hindu he may be someone with a proven mental case history. There is a good chance though that Kavesh Gosavi could be so implicated as the police have done with him in the past. Be prepared for such a scenario.”
Two days later, the police claimed success and Francis Pereira, a purported taxi driver from Curchorem, was arrested as the man behind the spree of attacks on mostly Christian places of worship. And there began, a flood of comments on my post, with the usual abuse from the affiliates of the Sangh Parivar, and some perceptive comments from the discerning. Quite a few proclaimed that I am a prophet. The truth is otherwise. My post had nothing to do with prophecy but everything to do with the known behavioural pattern of police.
Never before has there been so much of skepticism about the ability of the police to solve a crime. And never before has there been so much of skepticism after the police have “solved” the crime. For public satisfaction crime must not only be solved but must be seen to be solved. The people whose places of worship have been desecrated simply refuse to believe the police “solution” of the crime.
Elsewhere on Facebook, there are comments galore. Ohm Stanley, a lawyer says: “For a person who evaded the police for 14 years, a quick confession, laughing and joking while being arrested and now climbing walls to recreate the scene of offence, the man seems to be in a mighty hurry to implicate himself. Somebody tell the police they are over cooking the ‘bakra’.”
Soter D’Souza quotes Chandan Chowdhary, IPS, Superintendent of Police, who told the press: “This month, at least nine Holy Crosses and a temple have been desecrated by unidentified persons. It cannot be the work of a mentally deranged person. This is being done purposely…… The investigating officers have already got some leads in these cases and they are working on to crack it.” The reward for her frankness was a quick transfer to North Goa. And immediately after her transfer, the police arrest a “mentally deranged person” and solve the crime! Had the IPS Officer refused to acquiesce in the attempt at match fixing? Is that the reason why she was transferred?
Hubert Gomes well known Dentist-Activist says: “With his LIVE demonstration, FRANCIS- the man accused of ‘damaging Crosses in Goa’ has proved 2 things…
1. That he ‘could be’ the possible Dare Devil who broke our crosses.
2. That he is lot more athletic than most of the Cops in Goa Police. Very few cops will be able to climb and walk on the high, narrow and slippery walls of Cemetery during ‘daytime’… which our SUPER FIT Francis is supposed to have done in pitch darkness, at ‘night time’.”
And several wise cracks too are circulating and I shall quote two of the more juicier ones.
Turns out that a taxi driver called Francis Pereira desecrated crosses in Goan cemeteries to release ‘trapped souls’. But those ‘trapped souls’ returned to their graves after hearing the taxi fares. “Sorry, boss, I will wait for an OLA.”
Breaking news…..
IOA (Indian Olympic Association) requests Goa CM to release accused Francis Pereira.
As per inside sources, the IOA are very impressed with the athletic ability, agility and potential of accused Francis Pereira.
Highly placed sources have sought to induct the said accused Francis Pereira in the Indian Olympic team to represent India in LONG JUMP…HAMMER THROW and MARATHON….
IOA feels that Pereira, despite his age and mental status is the only hope for India to win multiple Gold medals in the Olympics.
By its very nature, police investigation has to be highly confidential. Only the investigating team, their superior officers, the Public Prosecutor and the Magistrate is entitled to access the “case papers”. No one else, not the accused nor the press can be privy to the police investigation. But herein we have a unique case where every aspect of police investigation including reconstruction of the crime scene is telecast. In short, the police are not only investigating the case but are also helping the accused prepare his defence.
Francis Pereira reminds me of John Yosarian, the fighter pilot, protagonist in the novel Catch 22. His roommate being tired wants to avoid a bombing run so he feigns insanity and seeks mental evaluation but does not get leave because Rule 22 creates “a situation in which an airman could only get out of flying machine if he were insane and requested an evaluation……… but the very act of requesting an evaluation is sufficient evidence of an airman’s sanity and therefore he cannot get leave”! In the case of Francis, the very manner in which he is shown re-enacting the crimes is evidence of his insanity. He may not need a defence counsel.
(Radharao F. Gracias is a senior Trial Court Advocate, a former Independent MLA, and a political activist)
