Mumbai: Vandalised Grottos In Uttan-Gorai Alarm Christian Community

The Christian community in the Uttan-Gorai have asked for the government's intervention to investigate the disappearance of three statues of Mother Mary over the past month in the area. Since the statues were made of relatively inexpensive materials like fibre and clay, vandalism and not theft seems to be the motive.

The first incident, occurring on December 23, 2023, involved the disappearance of a statue at Pakhadi Cross. The crucifix belonged to the Godinho family, residents of Gorai village. Later, there was a similar incident near the Maharashtra Judicial Academy. The latest incident took place at Shefali Pakhadi.

"We woke up in the morning to find the statue missing. It was shocking. Such an incident has not happened before," said Royston Godinho whose family had erected the cross at Pakhadi.

Incidents Happened In Christian-Dominated Area

The statues were part of private grottos created by residents of the villages that have a large East Indian Christian population. Switsy Henriques, a resident of the area, said that when the first incident happened, the villagers thought it was a one-off incident. "There have been two more incidents. We are surprised that the incidents have happened in an area where the majority are Catholic families," said Henriques.

Community groups suspect that there was a common motive behind the acts of vandalism, and the aim could be to incite discord among the residents of the area. They have demanded an investigation into the incidents.

"The veneration of Mother Mary holds immense significance for the devout Catholic community, and these thefts have sparked a sense of panic and distress among the local residents. Such deliberate actions not only desecrate sacred symbols but also threaten communal harmony in the region," said Godfrey Pimenta of the Watchdog Foundation.

No Complaint Lodged

Residents of the area said that the CCTV surveillance system in the area was not functioning. A personnel from the Gorai police station said that no written complaints were made. "There were verbal complaints and we inspected the area," said the official.