18 crosses found vandalised at church cemetery in Mumbai – Times of India

MUMBAI: Eighteen crosses were vandalised in the cemetery of St Michael’s church in Mahim, which is famous for its multi-lingual Wednesday Novena prayer that draws people of all faiths, on Saturday. Police have booked an unidentified man, report Mateen Hafeez and Bella Jaisinghani.
One of the oldest churches in Mumbai, Mahim church as it is called, originally dates back to 1534. The crime occurred shortly after daybreak. Police said the accused entered the cemetery by climbing its wall. “He was carrying a marble-like object in his hand and vandalised the crosses with it. He then went to the church and sat there for a while before leaving,” police said. Six police teams have been formed to identify and nab the accused.
The incident comes just a day after the BMC withdrew its notice to St Peter’s Church in Bandra seeking to take over part of its cemetery for road widening. Sudhakar Shirsath, senior inspector of Mahim police, said they have booked the accused under sections 295 (injuring or defiling a place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) and 447 (punishment for criminal trespass) of the IPC. If convicted, he faces up to 2 years, in jail or fine, or both.
A church watchman said he saw the accused and was surprised to see him coming from the cemetery route so early since the church gate opens only at 6am. and took his photo with his cellphone. Senior officials, including the additional commissioner of police, zonal DCP and division ACP, visited the spot and reviewed the situation. The accused’s photo is being checked in police records for any information that could be available on him and to look for any previous crime record.
The crime has caused extreme consternation in the Christian community with NGOs, including Bombay Catholic Sabha, Watchdog Foundation, Bombay East Indian Association, Catholic Secular Forum and Association of Concerned Catholics, as well as activists, citizens and politicians condemning it.