the goan I network
MARGAO
Francis Pereira, who has been accused for host of desecrations across Salcete taluka, was taken into custody by the Maina-Curtorim police from the Cuncolim police on a transfer warrant on Monday.
The accused will be interrogated in the spate of desecration of crosses in the jurisdiction of the Maina-Curtorim police station, right from Chandor to Curtorim and the village of Loutolim.
Police said the accused will be taken to various spots in these villages, where crosses were desecrated in the last two months. Chandor was the worst affected amongst the villages as three crosses, including the Alma Khuris, which was desecrated twice in less than a month.
Besides, two crosses were desecrated at Loutolim village, including the miraculous cross at Vanxem, which was venerated by people from all walks of life, irrespective of caste, creed and religion.
The lone cross at Curtorim was desecrated at Raloi Tollem on the day when a cross was desecrated on the Margao-Davorlim border, apart from other religious structures, which were vandalised at the Shree Krishna Temple at Calconda-Margao.
When The Goan contacted Maina-Curtorim police station in-charge, PI Gawde to shed light on the custody of accused Francis, he said the accused has been taken into custody by the police on a transfer warrant from the Cuncolim police. "The police would move the court on Tuesday seeking remand of the accused in connection with the investigation into the desecrations and the role played by the accused in each of the desecrations," PI Gawde said.
He said though the accused had earlier confessed of his involvement in the spate of desecration incidents in the Maina-Curtorim police station jurisdiction, he will be personally taken to each and every cross which was found desecrated in the last two months.
