Team Herald
PANJIM: As the desecration of religious places continues, Congress on Monday demanded that the investigation into the incidents be handed over the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
A Congress delegation led by PCC Chief Shantaram Naik met DGP Muktesh Chandar on Monday to know the status of the investigations.
“I demand a CBI inquiry into the desecration of religious places. Whether it is religious structure of Christians, Muslims or Hindus, any attack on them cannot be tolerated,” Naik told media persons after meeting DGP.
He said the Police Department is capable of investigating such cases, but they are likely to get pressurised by local forces. “CBI being a neutral agency would be able to investigate these cases in a better way,” Naik added.
Several gravestones in Curchorem village were damaged on Sunday night even as police are groping in the dark over the motive and people behind the act. The government has already set up a SIT to probe the cases, however, it has had little success.
Naik criticised Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar for leaving to the US without handing over the Home portfolio to another minister. “We are not against his foreign tour. But when he left under such circumstances, when religious structures are being attacked, it was his duty to hand over the responsibility someone else,” the Rajya Sabha MP said.
The DGP informed the delegation that the police are talking all possible measures to prevent and detect the cases and find the miscreants. “We are analysing the patterns as well and are hopeful that we would be able to crack this out,” he said.
Chandra said that intensive night patrolling, extra IRB battalions have been deployed in the area under the supervision of senior officers. “Nakabandi is being done at many points as a measure to prevent more incidents,” he said.
