TEAM HERALD
MARGAO/ CURCHOREM: The Catholic community in Salcete woke up to the shocking news that two crosses — one in Chandor and another in Cacumoddi, along the Xeldem-Assolda road were desecrated during the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.
The desecration of Alma Khuris in Chandor sent shockwaves in the village as the cross has been the target of the miscreants for the third time in recent times.
The incident came to light shortly after dawn when a group of early church goers noticed the desecration after returning from Sunday mass. Soon, the news spread in the village with villagers condemning the incident and demanding immediate action.
A team of Maina-Curtorim police led by PI Harish Madkaikar rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation since the Sunday desecration comes close on the heels of a similar incidents at Nuvem and Sao Jose de Areal coming under the jurisdiction of the Maina-Curtorim police station.
In fact, the Maina-Curtorim police are baffled by the spate of desecrations reported within its jurisdiction in the last one month, with the police miserably failing to zero in on the miscreants.
Sarpanch Etelvina Antao said the
incident came to light when people while people were returning from the early morning mass. She said that two youth were spotted near the cross when people were heading to the church. The Sarpanch pointed that miscreants had damaged a cross at a chapel in the village earlier.
Locals also questioned the police over the failure to nab the culprits involved in desecration of the cross on two previous occasions. They have demanded night patrolling in the village to keep the miscreants and anti-socials at bay. The police are investigating the case.
Meanwhile, another cross at Cacumoddi, near the lake along the Xeldem-Assolda road was desecrated by miscreants. According to locals, a passer-by noticed the damaged cross and immediately informed the residents.
Quepem police informed that no complaint has been registered in this regard, as the cross is situated in a private property and the owner has not lodged any complaint.
Speaking to Herald, the locals who had gathered at the site expressed their anger at the inefficiency of administration and the police.
Locals also complained that the area where the incident took place was frequented by a number of anti-social elements.
Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral condemned the incident and said such anti-social elements should be hanged for disturbing the peace.
“Goans are united and we respect all religions. We live in peace and communal harmony, but if any anti-social element tries to disturb it, we will not tolerate it,” Cabral said and assured the locals of intense investigation into the incident.
