New Delhi: Several crosses put atop the graveyard at the cemetery attached to St. Michael’s Church in Mumbai’s Mahim were vandalised on Saturday. Pictures of the vandalised graveyard went viral on social media, and the incident has caused much disquiet among the Catholic community in Mumbai and across India.According to MidDay, the accused, a man in his thirties, was captured on the CCTV cameras of the church attending the 6 am mass. When the prayer meeting started, he went to the cemetery and desecrated the crosses before fleeing the premises.“The incident is sad and shocking. We have registered an FIR at the Mahim police station and investigations have begun. The police have assured us that they will arrest the person concerned and take appropriate legal action,” Father Bernard Lancy Pinto, parish priest of St Michael’s Church, told MidDay.“We want to know why he committed this crime. It has hurt the religious sentiment of all Catholics,” he added.An FIR has been registered against unknown persons at the Mahim police station.Several Christian organisations and political parties have condemned the incident and demanded strict police action. “We urge full protection to our churches and graveyards in Mumbai,” said Dolphy D’Souza, president of the Bombay Catholic Sabha.“It is regrettable and painful that the graves of Catholics were vandalised at the Church of St Michael, Mahim. The sentiments of the community are deeply hurt as this act not only involves the destruction of religious objects, but also disrespect the dead. The police are investigating the incident and we remain hopeful that the perpetrator of this vicious crime will be brought to task,” the Archdiocese of Bombay said in a press statement.“While the Church appreciates the support and assistance of various groups, we strictly do not wish to give this act a communal overtone. We trust the investigation of the police and are assured that those involved will be shortly arrested,” the office of Archdiocese of Bombay said.Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) spokesperson Clyde Crasto condemned the incident and urged Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, his deputy and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and the Mumbai Police to take ‘immediate cognisance’s of the issue.“This act seems like a deliberate attempt to pressurise and disturb the peace-loving Catholic community in Mumbai,” he said. “News of graves and crosses vandalised at the St. Michael’s Church graveyard in Mahim, Mumbai is very disturbing. This incident happened immediately after the temporary withdrawal of the land acquisition notice to St. Peter’s Church, Bandra raises many doubts.”Another NCP leader, Vidya Chavan, said “I strongly condemn the damaging and desecration of the crosses and graves at St. Michael’s Church, Mahim, Mumbai. I urge Maharashtra CM for full protection of all churches and graveyards across Mumbai. I urge Mumbai Police to ensure that those responsible be arrested and strict action be taken against the culprits.”The incident comes on the heels of a notice issued by BMC to the century-old St Peter’s Seaside Cemetery in Bandra (West) on taking over a portion of the plot for a road-widening project. The notice was withdrawn on Friday. A similar notice also sent to the Bandra Bene Jewish Cemetery located across the St Peter’s cemetery was also withdrawn.A similar incident of vandalism at a church was reported from Narayanpur district in Chhattisgarh recently.