VASCO
Verna police on Saturday filed an FIR against members of a group for installing a structure with an idol outside the front piece of the old church in the protected site at Sancoale in the wee hours of Friday.
Hundreds of people led by Parish Priest Kenneth Teles had gathered at the site on Friday evening after the incident demanding the arrest of the main person for repeatedly trying to destroy the communal harmony in the village.
On Saturday, a huge police force comprising of DySPs, PIs and other police officials were stationed at the protected site to prevent law and order situation even as other authorities including Mamlatdar, Dy Collector and Archeology officials paid visit to the site to take the stock of the situation.
The police later took the structure with the idol in their custody and convinced the people that they would initiate legal action against the persons involved in the act.
In a video that was widely circulated, Sancoale parish priest was seen telling the police that a person had been repeatedly disturbing the peace by trespassing in church property at the protected site.
"This is the fourth time that they have entered by trespassing in the church property in an attempt to disturb communal harmony. We have full faith in the police and they have always helped us”, Fr Telles says.
Speaking further, he said “last time too the PI had assured us that the culprit would be arrested but nothing happened. People are now beginning to lose their trust in police as the main accused is continuously trespassing in the property and creating communal disharmony”.
Stating that this was a wrong and an unfortunate act where some persons entered the church property and installed a structure with an idol, Fr Telles said the police should act quickly and arrest the culprit.
On Friday, the parish priest along with the parishioners held a protest at 7.30 pm which lasted till 11 pm to condemn the act of the group.
A perturbed resident said “we want to communal harmony in the village which has prevailed for so many years. We hope to get justice”.
It was only after a lot of persuasion and with the parish priest being convinced, that the crowd dispersed but not before warning that they would gather in large numbers on Sunday if the culprit was not arrested.
