the goan I network
MARGAO
Stones were found on the staircase leading to the Carmelite Monastery at Margao which was stoned during the Easter night vigil on Saturday, as the Margao police has started investigations into the stoning incident.
Margao Sub-Divisional Police Officer, DySP Raju Raut Desai and Margao police station in-charge, PI Kapil Nayak visited the monastery on late Monday evening as part of the investigations into the stoning incident.
During the inspection of the area, the police officials found a couple of stones, similar to those landed at the monastery on the day of the Easter vigil, on the staircase leading to the monastery. The police believe that the miscreants must have stored the stones on the staircase, where there’s no proper illumination and neither the area is covered by the CCTV surveillance cameras.
The visit by the top officials to the monastery and holding discussions with Carmelite Superior Fr Archie Gonsalves comes against the backdrop of the stoning visit assumes significance as the Carmelite monastery will be celebrating the Divine Mercy on Sunday, which will be presided over by Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao.
Fr Archie Gonsalves told The Goan that the police team found a couple of stones on the staircase leading to the monastery, indicating that the miscreants must have used the stones on the congregation on Easter night vigil.
Fr Archie expressed his satisfaction with the police for taking up the investigations into the stone throwing incident seriously. “They have visited the monastery many times as part of the investigations. They
have showed their seriousness by visiting the monastery so many times,” Fr
Archie said.
The police has promised to strengthen the deployment at the monastery on Sunday during the Divine Mercy celebrations led by the Archbishop, though the celebration will start at 5 pm and culminate at around 7 pm.
Meanwhile, a resident of Aquem Cedric Da Costa said the stoning incident has sent shock waves in the Catholic community associated with the Carmelite monastery. “The monastery has been involved in dispensing free medications through doctors, runs a Lar for the abandoned girls and a food bank apart from the religious services, irrespective of religion,”
he said.
