A 22-year-old male was arrested by the Mahim police on Sunday, January 8, in connection with the destruction of about 18 graves and crosses at St. Michael's Church. The accused, Kalamboli resident Dawood Ibrahim Yakub Ansari, was located at his uncle's home in Navi Mumbai.
Ansari reportedly entered the church at 5:30 on Saturday morning, January 7, and, after praying, got a sizable stone from the cemetery and used it to trample over the graves. He then went back to the church and reported his missing bag to the security guard. Later, the security guard discovered the bag in the cemetery, where he also noticed that the tombs had been damaged. Church officials seized Ansari, who was then brought into police custody.
The incident has angered and distressed the Catholic community in Mumbai and elsewhere. Clyde Crasto, a spokesman for the National Congress Party, has denounced the event and urged the Mumbai Police, as well as Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, to respond swiftly.
“The incident is sad and shocking. We have registered an FIR at the Mahim police station and investigations have begun. The police have assured us that they will arrest the person concerned and take appropriate legal action,” Father Bernard Lancy Pinto, parish priest of St Michael’s Church, responded while speaking to news agency Mid-Day.
“It is regrettable and painful that the graves of Catholics were vandalised at the Church of St Michael, Mahim. The sentiments of the community are deeply hurt as this act not only involves the destruction of religious objects, but also disrespect the dead. The police are investigating the incident and we remain hopeful that the perpetrator of this vicious crime will be brought to task,” the Archdiocese of Bombay expressed his concerns in a press release.
Ansari, who has no prior convictions to his name, was apparently mentally unstable after his mother passed away recently, according to the police. To ascertain the complete facts underlying the vandalism, an investigation is still being conducted.
The grave vandalism at St. Michael's Church comes just days after the temporary withdrawal of a land acquisition notice for St. Peter's Church in Bandra, leading to speculation and raising "many doubts," according to Crasto. The timing of these two events has caused concern among some members of the Catholic community, who are calling for a thorough investigation into the matter.
The police have assured the public that they are taking the incident seriously and are working to uncover the motives behind the vandalism. In the meantime, the community is coming together to repair the damages and offer support to the families of those whose graves were affected.
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