A YouTuber from Uttarakhand was detained in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu on Friday for “hurting religious sentiments” over his allegedly derogatory comments about Catholic saint Francis Xavier at an event in Goa on Sunday.
Gautam Khattar, who describes himself as a “spiritual beat” journalist and creates content related to “Baba Sadhus, Sanatan Dharma, foreign devotees and religious places,” had been absconding for a week. The Crime Branch had also issued a lookout circular against him.
“Based on an input from Goa Police, Himachal Pradesh Police has detained the main accused, Gautam Khattar, in Kullu district this evening. A team from the Crime Branch will soon take over custody of the accused, and he will be brought to Goa,” Superintendent of Police (Crime) Rahul Gupta said.
Goa Police booked Gautam after he allegedly called the saint a “terrorist” at the Sanatan Dharm Raksha Samiti’s Parshuram Jayanti celebrations in Goa’s Vasco da Gama. He also allegedly made derogatory remarks about the saint’s remains in a casket revered as sacred relics.
On Wednesday, Goa Police arrested Gautam’s brother, Madhav, as a co-accused in the case after the investigation revealed that he had drafted the speech, which was later shared on social media.
{{/usCountry}}On Wednesday, Goa Police arrested Gautam’s brother, Madhav, as a co-accused in the case after the investigation revealed that he had drafted the speech, which was later shared on social media.
{{/usCountry}}“Madhav Khattar accompanied Gautam to the event in Vasco, and it has also come on record that a video of a derogatory statement against St. Francis Xavier made by Gautam Khattar was recorded by him and broadcast on social media platforms. Based on the investigation, it is also revealed that the speech was prepared by his brother Madhav Khattar, delivered by Gautam, and recorded by Madhav to be broadcast on social media platforms. Accordingly, he was made a co-accused in this case for involvement in this crime,” Gupta said.