‘Disrespect to the dead…’: Church on crosses vandalised incident

According to the church authorities, the vandal was suspected to have jumped a wall and entered the ‘permanent graveyard’ section.

Father Lancy Pinto, the parish priest of Mahim Church, said, “Some staff members came to me and said there had been an incident at the graveyard. Initially I thought it must be something minor, but when I went there, I was shocked to see so many graves vandalised. After damaging the crosses on the graves, the man then went inside the church to offer his prayers before leaving.” (Satish Bate/HT PHOTO)

Mumbai: On Saturday, around 6 am, a graveyard located at St Michael’s Church, famously known as Mahim Church, was vandalised by an unknown person. After the shocking incident, emotions are running high in the Catholic Christian community.

According to the church authorities, the vandal was suspected to have jumped a wall and entered the ‘permanent graveyard’ section. A security guard spotted him, but when questioned, the man said he was there to pray. After wrecking the graveyard, he went inside the church.

Father Lancy Pinto, the parish priest of Mahim Church, said, “Some staff members came to me and said there had been an incident at the graveyard. Initially I thought it must be something minor, but when I went there, I was shocked to see so many graves vandalised. After damaging the crosses on the graves, the man then went inside the church to offer his prayers before leaving.”

Father Pinto said the permanent graveyard section was usually shut unless someone made a visit there. “So when the security guards spotted the man, they clicked his picture because they suspected he might be up to something,” he said. “I could never have imagined vandalism at a church in Mumbai, and an incident like this has never happened at Mahim Church. We have shared the pictures and all CCTV footage with the police.”

Although the church committee is yet to ascertain the damage done by the incident, the parish priest said a part of the damage would be recovered from the security agency hired by the church since it was a security lapse.

The incident comes a day after the BMC had to withdraw a notice sent to St Peter’s Church in Bandra West asking for a small portion of the cemetery land for road-widening. The notice was withdrawn after an intervention from the local BJP MLA Ashish Shelar, who spoke to the BMC commissioner and asked the ward to withdraw the notice.

But though some individuals and organisations are linking the two incidents, the archdiocese of Bombay, an apex body of Roman Catholic churches in Mumbai, issued a press statement saying “it strictly did not wish to give the incident communal overtones”. “It is regrettable and painful that the graves of Catholics were vandalised at the Church of St Michael, Mahim,” reads the statement. “The sentiments of the community are deeply hurt, as this act does not only involve the destruction of religious objects but also disrespect for the dead.

“The police are investigating the incident and we remain hopeful that the perpetrator of this vicious crime will be brought to task,” continues the statement. “While the Church appreciates the support of various groups, we strictly do not wish to give this act a communal overtone. We trust the investigation of the police and are assured that those involved will be shortly arrested.”

Joseph Sodder, whose parents’ grave was vandalised, said that the grave was 80 years old. “When I saw that the cross on my parents’ grave was damaged, I went out and told the cops there that even I wanted to register an FIR. My statement will be recorded soon.” Sodder said that the cost of putting up a new cross on the grave would be ₹1,00,000 but he would bear it because he did not want to burden the church.

Advocate Vivian D’Souza, former president of the Bombay East Indian Association said, “The community is outraged by what happened. We want the authorities to ensure that such incidents are not repeated in future. We do not suspect political play here but want the authorities to investigate and catch the culprits.”

Calling the vandalisation an intelligence failure and listing six incidents of the sort since 2013, Godfrey Pimenta of the NGO ‘Watchdog Foundation’, said, “Just yesterday there was a massive gathering at the St Peter’s church auditorium to condemn the BMC acquisition notice to the Catholic cemetery. We see a definitive pattern in such incidents happening in Mumbai, particularly in Santacruz West, Juhu, Bandra West and now in Mahim. This has been done deliberately to hurt the religious sentiments of the Christian community.”

Following the incident, BJP and NCP leaders took up the issue. Advocate Ashish Shelar, Mumbai BJP president, took to Twitter and said, “Noted vandalism of crosses in Mahim. I spoke to Police DCP Manoj Patil for strict action! Accused photo is captured in CCTV footage & special team has been immediately dispatched for his arrest.” (Sic)

Condemning the incident, Clyde Crasto, NCP spokesperson, also took to Twitter and urged Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and the Mumbai police to take “immediate cognisance” of the issue. “This incident happening immediately after the withdrawal of the land acquisition notice to St Peter’s Church, Bandra, raises many doubts,” he said. “The perpetrators of this crime must be arrested immediately and severe action must be taken.”