Eighteen tombstones and crosses were vandalised at a cemetery attached to St Michael’s Church, Mahim, early on Saturday morning, enraging the Catholic community. The incident comes close on the heels of a notice being issued by the BMC to demolish a part of St Peter’s Seaside cemetery for a road widening project in Bandra West.

The accused was captured on the CCTV cameras of the church. According to church authorities, the accused, who appears to be in his 30s, had attended the 6 am mass at the church. As soon as the prayer service began, he left the church and went straight to the cemetery, where he desecrated the crosses and tombstones. He fled soon after.