Graves in Christian cemetery vandalised in Goa

Panaji: Several gravestones in a Christian cemetery in Curchorem town of South Goa were allegedly vandalised by unidentified persons, police said today.

According to Curchorem Police Inspector Shivram Vaingankar, the incident took place last night.

“Several gravestones were damaged by miscreants last night at the Guardian Angel Cemetery. The CCTV camera which was installed at the gate of the cemetery was also found broken,” he told PTI today.

Police are yet to arrest anyone in connection with the cemetery attack.

Vaingankar said one of the locals had seen a man running out of cemetery at around 4.30 am. “We are working on various leads,” he said.

Goa has witnessed a spate of attacks on religious symbols since the beginning of this month. At least nine Holy crosses and a temple have been defiled since July 1 leading to heightened police presence in several areas of South Goa district.

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had given strict instructions to the police to increase patrolling around sensitive places in the state.

Two platoons of India Reserve Battalion were also deployed in South Goa to help local police in patrolling susceptible areas.

Local police stations were also asked to form Special Investigation Teams (SIT).

So far, police have failed to make any breakthrough in the nine desecration incidents, all from South Goa.