Mohan Kuthar
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Feb 25: Miscreants pelted stones at St Joseph Vaz prayer centre at Panir here, damaging the glass enclosure containing the statues of Mother Mary and Infant Jesus.

The stones were reportedly pelted on the night of Tuesday February 24. The incident came to light on Wednesday February 25 morning.

Though the culprits have not been identified, a school boy said that he saw two men sitting in front of the worship centre on Tuesday night. Locals also said that sometimes miscreants are seen indulging in illegal activities like ganja consumption in the vicinity.

Health minister U T Khadar visited the spot.

The minister, who visited the site in the morning, said that he hoped the culprits will be nabbed soon.

"Some anti-social elements threw a stone and damaged the glass of a statue to create insecurity and panic in society," Khader told mediapersons.

The minister said the site was littered with cigarette butts and hinted that the group might have been small.

He said police is looking for the culprits and that other citizens have also joined the operation.

"It is between good society and bad society. All 90 percent of the good society will join against them," he said.

Khadar said the Our Lady of Mercy Church located beside a graveyard in an isolated place, is 250 years old and was renovated 10 to 15 years ago. The prayer centre is attached to this church.

ACP Kalyan Shetty, SI Bharati and other police personnel arrived and investigated.

Mangalore diocese secretary M P Noronha has condemned the act of pelting stones on the statue of Mother Mary at Panir and has urged the police authorities to detect the persons who have committed the crime and to give protection to all churches and places of worship in the district.

With IANS Inputs