A statue of Our Lady inside a grotto, along a road on the outskirts
of Mumbai, has been vandalized. Police sources report that the incident
was carried out by three vandals around 4am local time.
Speaking to AsiaNews, Sajan K George, president of the
Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), expresses "great concern, on
behalf of the Christian group, for vandalized the statue of the Virgin
Mary in Mumbai. Glass placed to protect the statue was shattered and
Mary with the baby Jesus in her arms, was decapitated. This grave act
deeply wounds the religious sentiments of Christians and the spiritual
feelings of all those who venerate the Mother. "
The grotto was located in Kurla district, in the suburbs of the capital
of Maharashtra. The officers requested footage of CCTV cameras placed in
the area, which recorded the moment when the statue was desecrated.
Paramjit Singh, deputy police commissioner of Zone V, reports that the
authorities are doing everything possible to identify the culprits.
Some
agents have been deployed in the area, where initially there were
tensions between communities.
According to the official reports, calm
has now returned.
Sajan K George complains that what happened "is really worrying. Mother
Mary is venerated by all Indians, by all denominations, with great
fervor and devotion. "
He adds that "incidents like this generate
suspicion among communities and disturb the lives of ordinary people."