Man arrested for vandalising tombstones in Mahim cemetery | Mumbai news - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Man arrested for vandalising tombstones in Mahim cemetery

ByManish K Pathak
Jan 09, 2023 12:43 AM IST

A 22-year-old Navi Mumbai man has been arrested a day after around 18 tombstones, statues and holy crosses were allegedly vandalised at a cemetery attached to St Michael’s Church in Mahim. The accused has been identified as Dawood Ibrahim Mohammd Ansari of Kalamboli area of Navi Mumbai

Mumbai: A 22-year-old Navi Mumbai man has been arrested a day after around 18 tombstones, statues and holy crosses were allegedly vandalised at a cemetery attached to St Michael’s Church in Mahim.

Mumbai, India - January 07, 2023: Unknown and unidentified miscreants vandalise crosses constructed above the graveyard at the cemetery attached to St. Michael's Church in the night, at Mahim (West), in Mumbai, India, on Saturday, January 07, 2023. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Satish Bate/HT PHOTO)
Mumbai, India - January 07, 2023: Unknown and unidentified miscreants vandalise crosses constructed above the graveyard at the cemetery attached to St. Michael's Church in the night, at Mahim (West), in Mumbai, India, on Saturday, January 07, 2023. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Satish Bate/HT PHOTO)

The accused has been identified as Dawood Ibrahim Mohammd Ansari of Kalamboli area of Navi Mumbai.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Manoj Patil, deputy commissioner of police, said, “As per preliminary investigation, he visited the church and damaged crosses and tombstones. We are interrogating him to know the facts and cannot come to any conclusion at this stage. We will verify each and every aspect connected to him.”

“It is too early to say anything as he was arrested at 3pm on Sunday from Navi Mumbai and was brought to the Mahim police station,” Patil added.

According to the police, it appeared that the accused is mentally disturbed and has not slept for several days.

Another police officer said that a week ago, the accused went to a mosque where he was jumping from one place to another, which was unusual so people nabbed him and threw him out.

On Saturday, he came to Mahim by a train and got off around 6am. Ansari did not use the footover bridge and came out of the station by crossing railway tracks, the officer added.

Ansari worked in his uncle’s cushion shop. His mother had passed away two years ago and his father is also in the cushion business.

As per the complaint filed by the parish priest, Father Bernard Lancy Pinto, the watchman spotted the accused in the church compound around 6 am. But suspecting that he had come to steal marble stones, he drove him out of the premises after clicking his photo on his mobile. But when the watchman checked again, he found that the accused had damaged several tombstones and crosses, it said, adding he then informed Father Pinto.

Soon, the representatives of the Catholic community started arriving at the church, Joseph Dias, founder of community NGO Catholic Secular Forum, said. “Agnelo Fernandez, general secretary of the BJP’s minority wing, and advocate Joe Sodder whose ancestral family graves are in the cemetery along with parishioners went to Mahim police station.”

Dias claimed that it was only after BJP’s city unit president Ashish Shelar spoke to DCP Manoj Patil that the police registered an FIR. The police and the local crime branch unit had scouted the areas where drug addicts and homeless people gathered and also recorded the statement of priest Ashwin Castelino, Father Pinto and Sodder.

A case was registered against the unknown person under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), and 447 (criminal trespass) of the Indian Penal Code.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On