- The Mangaluru Police have finally arrested a man that they have been on the lookout for for the past one year. He has been accused of dropping used condoms in donation boxes of various temples in Mangaluru. The accused, who has been identified as Devdas Desai, is a native of Unkal in Hubbali, but has been living in Mangaluru for the past 20 years. An auto-driver by profession, he is an ardent follower of christianity. However, due to his old age, he has resorted to picking up plastic and selling it to scrap shops to earn a living.
- Desai has, in his interrogation, stated that he hasn’t just targeted Hindu temples, claiming that he has dropped off similar used condoms in various Gurudwaras and Mosques in the area. The Police have also found writings against various other religions from his house.
- According to the police, 18 religious places were violated as such by the accused over the past year.
- When asked for reasons, the accused Desai said that he was doing the Lord's work and that Jesus was the only true God. He was dropping used condoms because impure gifts should be given to impure places. He further shamelessly said that he had no remorse.
- The accused’s acts would be covered under sections 295 and 295A of the IPC. Section 295 states that whoever defiles or destroys any place of worship with the intention of insulting the feelings of any particular class will be punished with imprisonment of either description which shall extend upto 2 years, or fine, or with both. On the other hand, Section 295A states that whoever with malicious and deliberate intent of outraging the religious feelings of any class, does any act, or makes any sign or visible representation, insults the religious feelings of that class would be punishable with imprisonment of either description for a term extendable upto three years, or with fine, or with both.
- This isn’t the first incident of defiling a religious place in the country. Back in April, two men named Raheem and Taufiq admitted to urinating and putting condoms in the Hundi of the temple of Lord Koragajja (avatar of Lord Shiva). This incident had also occurred in Mangaluru.
- This sort of religious extremism serves no good to anyone. Besides creating hostilities between different religious groups, it also maligns the image of our great country in the international community. Sarva Dharma Sama Bhava and Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam are the ideals of our ancient culture, and they are the need of the hour when religious extremism is at an all time high.
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