Police identify suspect; Hek slams vandalism of church

SHILLONG, Aug 30: A suspect has been identified by the police in regard with the case of vandalism in one of the oldest churches of Garo Hills region located in Daram village in North Garo Hills, while the incident has also drawn criticism from BJP national executive member Alexander Laloo Hek, who has termed the acts as “unacceptable”.
“One suspect has been identified in connection with the desecration of a church. The suspect is mentally unsound and is currently admitted at Tura Civil Hospital under psychiatric ward,” Shailendra Bamaniya, the district police chief of North Garo Hills, said.
According to the police, the suspect “has a history of vandalizing” as he had in the past destroyed other revered church icons inside homes in Daram village.
“We are keeping a close watch on the suspect in the hospital and investigation is on,” Bamaniya said.
Police said that the incident occurred when all the priests were in Tura, the district headquarters of West Garo Hills for a church retreat programme on the nights of August 25 and August 26, when idols installed on the church premises were smashed by miscreants.
“It is unacceptable to see such acts of vandalism against churches,” Hek, who is also Pynthorumkhrah MLA, said.
In the incident at Daram, statues of Jesus, Mother Mary, St. Joseph as well as the statue of a baby Jesus were desecrated.
The BJP legislator has stated that those involved in the desecration of the statues should be booked immediately, while calling upon police to take immediate action and arrest the culprit(s).
According to Hek, the incident has affected the sentiments of the Christian community in the state.
The attackers also tried to damage the holy crucifix placed on the upper portion of the church wall in Daram above the altar where the holy Eucharistic is celebrated, but ended up destroying the leg of the idol.
As per reports, the incident allegedly took place on the night of August 22 though it was not reported until the evening of August 25, a day after the new Superintendent of Police, Shailendra Bamaniya, took charge.
An FIR was lodged on August 26 by the church members following which an investigation into the matter is currently being undertaken. (With inputs from UNI)