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SIT set up to trace holy relics stolen from church
A Special Insvestigation Team of the Kerala police has been formed to investigage the theft cnturies old holy relics from a Catholic church here, associated with Jeseus Christ's Crucifixion.
A Special Insvestigation Team of the Kerala police has been formed to investigage the theft cnturies old holy relics from a Catholic church here, associated with Jeseus Christ's Crucifixion.
The team would be headed by the Assistant Superintendent P Vimaladitya, Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan who, visited the church yesterday said.
Three relics, a pieces of relics including the a portion of towel believed to have been used by Veronica to wipe the face of the Christ, were stolen from the glass cask of the the Holy Cross Church at Mapranam near Irinjalakkuda bear here on Tuesday.
According to diocesan authorities, the relics have the authentication of the Vatican and have been held in high reverence by the church and the community. The were handed over to the by Vatican the 18th century.
According to police sources, the theft might have been carried out after meticulous planning by a 'professional' gang of thieves who were award of the antique value of the relics.
The disappearance of the holy objects had shocked the community in the area and outside and the SIT was expected to track donw the criminals and restore them at the earliest, a spokesman for Irinjalakkuda diocese said.
