Goa: 3 arrested for desecrating Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue

Goa police on Tuesday arrested three persons for allegedly desecrating a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj near Mapusa town in the state.

The statue of the iconic 17th century warrior king at Karaswada village in North Goa district was found desecrated on Monday morning, following which the local police detained three suspects.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Jivba Dalvi told reporters that on Tuesday all three – Nigesl Joaquim Fonceca, Alex Fernandes and Lawrence Mendes – were placed under arrest. They are residents of Mapusa, he said. Hundreds of people had gathered outside the Mapusa police station on Monday night demanding their immediate arrest.

The statue, allegedly desecrated on Sunday night, was replaced with another one on Monday evening in the presence of state social welfare minister Subhash Phal Desai. The three accused were remanded in police custody for six days by a court, DySP Dalvi said. Police officials did not say anything about the possible motive behind the crime.

The shops of the accused, located near the statue, were ransacked by the mob on Monday night.

The accused were booked under sections 295-A (outraging religious feelings), 153-A (promoting enmity between groups) and 427-A (committing mischief and causing loss) of the Indian Penal Code and further investigation was on, Dalvi said.

Source : India Today

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Shivaji statue vandalised in Goa, police initiate inquiry

14 August 2023

A three-foot-tall statue of Maratha warrior king Shivaji was vandalised by unknown persons in north Goa’s Mapusa on Monday, said police. An inquiry has been initiated into the incident.

Superintendent of Police, North Goa, Nidhin Valsan said an FIR has been registered against unknown persons under IPC Sections 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language etc) and 427 (mischief causing damage) at Mapusa police station.

“The incident is suspected to have taken place around 5.30 am. We are reviewing CCTV footage in the area to identify the accused. Crime Branch has also been roped in for the probe,” said SP Valsan.

I condemn the incident of Vandalism of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Statue at Karaswada. Once again @BJP4Goa Government stands exposed on protecting Monuments of our National Heroes. I appeal to Goans to maintain peace as such acts are deliberately done to spread unrest in Society pic.twitter.com/No2WjHsivA

— Amit Patkar (@amitspatkar) August 14, 2023

Reacting to the vandalism, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said, “Such incidents are planned to disturb the peace of the state.”

Sairaj Toraskar, a local resident who saw the vandalised statue, told the media, “The statue is made of glass fibre, we suspect that some kind of a sharp weapon, an axe or a stick, was used to deface it. We demand an inquiry into the incident.”

A group of ‘Shiv Premis’ gathered at the spot and announced that a new statue of Shivaji will be installed there.

Aatrey Bhide, a member of Bajrang Dal, said, “The incident has hurt our sentiments. The culprits should be arrested immediately.”

Condemning the incident, Goa Forward Party president Vijai Sardesai said on X [formerly Twitter], “This Goa govt is shamefully inadequate not only to protect #Goemkars [Goans] but also our great nationalist heroes like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. I condemn this dastardly attack; I also condemn the @GovtofGoa and @Goapolice1091! They have once again proved to be a miserable failure in performing even their basic duty of offering protection to life and property.”

“The people of Goa have no trust left in the incompetent police or the spineless Govt. I demand the immediate arrest of the culprits, and my request to all Goemkars is to remain peaceful and calm,” he added.

Hindus denounced the Hinduphobic act & installed a new statue within no time.

Goa: Statue of Chhatrapati #ShivajiMaharaj was found vandalized on Aug. 14

Hindus denounced the Hinduphobic act & installed anew statue within no time

If such vandalistic act would have occurred against our lovable minority, imagine scale of the consequential "peaceful" attacks pic.twitter.com/xAkpFp0wBR

— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat) August 14, 2023

Source: The Indian Express