PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said Goa police have intensified search for YouTuber and spiritual thinker Gautam Khattar, who is currently absconding.
A team of Goa police is already in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, to trace his whereabouts and arrest him.
Addressing the media after chairing the cabinet today, Sawant assured that Khattar will be arrested and brought to Goa.
"We are taking this matter very seriously, which is why Goa Police is already in Dehradun to track him down. He is currently untraceable. Once located, Khattar will be arrested and brought straight to Goa. I and the DGP Goa are continuously monitoring the situation,” he said.
Khattar is facing charges for allegedly maligning the image of St Francis Xavier and making hate speeches to disrupt communal harmony. The case was transferred to the Crime Branch on Tuesday as several complaints are filed against him.
Protests escalated across the state demanding Khattar’s arrest. Locals are also demanding a public apology from Khattar and called for a complete ban on his entry into Goa.
The controversy began during the ‘Bhagwan Parshuram Janmotsav’ event held in Vasco, last Saturday where the YouTuber allegedly made offensive remarks against St Francis Xavier, including referring to the saint as a “terrorist.” The Vasco police registered a case on Sunday followed by the transfer of case to crime branch.
