Babluis Pereira
I had put together the entire week’s happenings and picked up an important fact that I read in Herald dt. July 11 on the front page titled “Guardian Angel Cemetery at Curchorem. Vandalized – 28 niches, 5 wooden crosses, 9 granite crosses, 16 tombs and a big cross at the entrance arch damage by heavy instrument used to cause damage.
To commit such heavy criminal offence of vandalism it cannot be accomplished with two human hands but requires likely another two hands and heavy instrument. Even our ITian Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had said one man behind desecration, but may be more.
The Parish Priest being close to the Cemetery had not heard the noises in the cemetery of the ongoing vandalism. The Police had said that while they were patrolling in the area they heard the noises and when approached the cemetery the gate was locked they had flashed search lights. Then they saw a person hurriedly jumping over the wall and flee in the forest. The point to be noted is whether he jumped over the wall with heavy instruments or in a hurry left it in the cemetery. If so, the police would have found the instruments there. Instead police found a piece of paper hand written and they found no white car parked around the area.
As it is a startup incident of desecration it is unbelievable that the Police were on patrolling duty in the area. If so, then such incident of noises, would have not taken place in the cemetery or elsewhere in South Goa. It is also presumed that the vandals after finishing their job must have called up the Police and informed that there are noises in the cemetery, so that the news of desecrations and vandalism may spread early in Goa’s villages. The Government and others had congratulated the Police for cracking down the case and there is likely a move to reward them when the investigation remains incomplete.
Also read in Herald dt. 16th July on front paper titled: Curchorem man arrested for desecration: and one Francis Pereira confessed (admitted) to vandalizing crosses. It appears that the Curchorem man admitted or confessed may be to avoid further investigation and Police torture (beating).
The case is not ended and the suspect is not proved guilty, unless proven by the law. The truth will prevail when the case goes in the Judicial court and it will prove whether it was a one-man show or there were some more players.
