MAPUSA
A statue of Goa’s first saint St Joseph Vaz was desecrated at St Clara Church in Assonora, allegedly by a mentally disturbed person, in the wee hours of Friday, Mapusa Police said.
Church property and a car belonging to the parish priest were also damaged by
the accused.
The accused was arrested and has been sent to Institute of Psychiatry and Human
Behaviour, Bambolim, for an examination.
Police sources informed that the accused apparently tried to pull the cross from the left hand of the life-size statue of the Goan saint installed in the open space in front of the church and in the process knocked off the saint’s left thumb.
The Cross was found on the ground near the statue.
A wooden box, with a mitre, hoisted below the saint’s right hand was removed and kept in front of the main door of the church, while the mitre was found on the back seat of the car of the parish priest.
Further, the accused damaged the decorative light work around the grotto of Mother Mary and several fancy lamps around the church compound wall.
The wipers and both number plates of the car belonging to the priest were also damaged. “I have asked the police to inquire into the matter in detail and find the motive of the person to carry such a cowardly act,” said Fr Vincent Leitao, Parish Priest of St Clara Church, Assonora.
Police said the incident took place at around 4 am on Friday, when the accused first damaged church property and then started damaging window panes of a neighbouring house.
Occupants of the house contacted the police, who later manage to apprehend the accused. The church CCTV cameras have captured the accused in short pants entering the church property.
“We suspect the person to be of unsound mind. We have sent him to IPHB for further examination,” said PI C L Patil.
