KUNDAPUR : Miscreants damaged the statue of Infant Jesus at the entrance of the Infant Jesus shrine at Katkeri near Koteshwara on Saturday night. The incident came to light only on Sunday morning. It is suspected that the statue was desecrated in the backdrop of the recent incidents of blackening the face of Rama Sene leader Pramod Mutalik.
This is however not the first time that this statue has been targeted by miscreants. Some time back, the glass case where the statue had been placed had been stoned. Later during the serial church attacks too the church was subject to attack. The latest incident is the third one in a row.
It may be recalled here that a parish priest of the Infant Jesus shrine had been attacked by Bhajrangdal activists while he was in Ankadakate hospital. He was later on transferred. It is said even the new parish priest was absent at the church when the incident took place on Saturday night.
Meanwhile, the act of the Kundapur circle inspector in taking the statue to the police station even before the press photographers could photograph it, has given room for doubts. When questioned the reply was that the statue had to be taken to the court.
Already a new statue has been installed in place of the desecrated one as if to prove that nothing had happened.
Interestingly, the parish priest who had initially refused to lodge any complaint had registered a complaint following pressure from the devotees.
Meanwhile, several organizations including the Samudaya of Kundapur have demanded a thorough probe into the incident.
House stoned : It is learnt, the house of Jacob D’Souza, former vice president of the Kundapur TMC has also been stoned the same day. The window panes of the house have been broken in the incident. A complaint has been lodged with the Kundapur police.
Related news: