Cross vandalised in Juhu, FIR filed

On the day that Pope Francis proclaimed Mother Teresa a saint in a ceremony held at the Vatican, the Santa Cruz police registered a first information report (FIR) against unknown persons for vandalising a cross on Sunday afternoon. The FIR was registered after Christian groups held a protest against the same.

According to the police, the incident occurred opposite the Sea Princess hotel near Juhu Chowpatty. Activist Nicolas Almeida, who was part of the protesting group, said he suspects that the miscreants vandalised the cross to spread fear among the community on an important day for Christians. “Today is the day that the blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta was granted sainthood. This act (of vandalism) has been carried out to create disruption in the community when we are celebrating an important event,” Mr Almeida said.

He added that the Christian community had written a letter to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to express their displeasure over the incident.

In the letter, it is stated, “We see a definitive pattern in a series of such incidents and today is the fourth incident in the jurisdiction of the Santa Cruz police station. Communal elements are spreading hatred against the Christian community and we have found some comments made towards this end on Facebook and on WhatsApp messages.”

The protesters, who gathered outside Santa Cruz police station, alleged that the police had not conducted a proper panchnama and recovered the broken crucifix without it.

“We have registered an FIR under section 295 and will be investigating the matter further,” said a senior officer from Santa Cruz police station.