Udupi: One arrested in Shirva Church case, act committed in drunken stupor

By Anil Alva
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi, 12 Dec 2016: Acting swiftly, the police on Monday December 12 arrested one person in connection to the breaking of St Antony statue at Our Lady of Health Church, Shirva.

 

The accused is Benedict D’Souza (57), a resident near Shirva Society.

 

 

 

A driver by profession, Benedict broke the statue in an drunken stupor, police sources said. His wife and daughter are staying abroad. He was arrested near Bantakal bus stand on Monday evening.

 

It is said that on Sunday morning, he had a fight with some migrants from another state who were residing nearby. He came to the church to pray, and in a fit of frustration that his prayers were not being answered coupled with drunkenness, he is said to have tried switching the positions of St Antony and St Lawrence statues. In the process, the statue of St Antony fell off the pedestal and shattered, sources said.

 

On learning about his fight with the migrants, the police took Benedict into custody and during interrogation, he is said to have admitted to having broken the statue.

 

The statue of St Antony at the church was found shattered to pieces on Sunday December 11. Condemning the incident, the Shirva parish pastoral council on Monday called a meeting and gave a deadline of three days to the police to arrest the culprits, failing which a protest would be held on December 16. Following the incident, several political leaders and bishop Dr Gerald Lobo and other priests visited the church and urged for quick action in the case.