Man arrested for Goa desecrations

Panaji, July 15 (IANS): Police on Saturday arrested a 50-year-old man for desecrating scores of crosses in South Goa, Director General of Police (DGP) Muktesh Chander informed.

Francis Pereira, a taxi driver by profession and a former convict, was caught by the police in earlier on Saturday, while he was about to desecrate another cross in Curchorem village located 45 km from Panaji.

"After meticulous and painstaking efforts Goa Police has been able to solve the recent cases of desecration of religious places in Goa," Chander said.

The police have recorded a video confession of the accused, in which Pereira has said that he would break Catholic crosses in order to "relieve spirits who are trapped in them".

Pereira in his confession also said, that he has been vandalising crosses since 2003.

"After initial questioning he will be taken to the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour for examination," a police official said.

Several dozen Catholic crosses, gravestones were desecrated in the state over the last few weeks.