A 62-year-old Christian man in Karnataka has been arrested for desecrating several Hindu temples by dropping used condoms. Devadas Desai (62), son of John Desai, was arrested by Mangaluru South Police for dropping used condoms at various temple premises and in donation boxes in temples in the region. The police were looking for the accused behind such repeated desecrations for a year, and finally made the arrest.
At least five temples in Mangaluru had lodged complaints with the police after used condoms were found inside temple premises. However, the police were unable to find the culprit. But after a used condom was found inside a donation box at a temple in Korajjana Katte village on December 27, the man was finally nabbed. After the temple management complained to the police about the incident, CCTV footage from the temple and nearby areas were checked, and the man was seen dropping something in the donation and leaving the place.
Based on CCTV visuals, the police nabbed the person, and he confessed during interrogation that he had desecrated several temples in a similar manner.
“Five cases were registered at various police stations where used condoms were thrown in different temple premises in Mangaluru. With the help of the CCTV footage, our team managed to nab the accused,” Mangaluru Police Commissioner N Shashikumar said. The police informed that the accused has been identified as Devdas Desai, a native of Unkal in Hubbali, who has been living in Mangaluru for the past 20 years.
“Since his father’s days, the family has been practising Christianity. He left his wife and child many years ago and is not in touch with them. He is an ardent Christian,” Commissioner Shashikumar added. Police said that Desai desecrated religious places of other religions to make people follow his religion.
The accused used to work as an auto driver, but had left the job due to old age, and has been collecting plastic and selling it to scrap dealers to earn a livelihood.
Although five complaints of such incidents were reported, the accused has revealed that he has desecrated 18 places in total. The Police further informed that Desai had desecrated only Hindu religious places, but other holy places as well, including Gurudwaras and mosques.
“The accused had dropped used condoms in Gurudwaras as well as Mosques in the region. He has also revealed all the areas where has done such acts. When asked about how he can recall all the places clearly, he said he had worked as an auto driver for over 15 years and is well versed with all the places. He used to collect used condoms from waste dumps. We have also found some writings against other religions from his house,” Shashikumar said.
Apart from used condoms, Desai had also dropped letters to hurt the religious feelings of devotees, and disfigured images of politicians in the donation boxes.
Talking to the media, the man defended his action saying he was doing it to spread the message of Jesus. “I am spreading the message of Jesus from the past 15 years. The Bible says that except Jesus there is no other god. I used to drop these condoms as impure gifts must be given to impure places. I don’t have any remorse, the god has given us a life of 70 years and I am already 62 years old,” Desai reportedly said.
Police have found that the accused is not mentally ill, he can read and write, and answers all questions asked, making it clear that he was desecrating the temples fully aware of what he was doing.
It may be noted that in January this year, used condoms and posters of disfigured images of then CM BS Yediyurappa and his son BY Vijayendra with Christian messages were found from the hundi of Koragajja Guligajja Daivastana, near Ullal in Mangaluru. Defaced images of PM Modi, Amit Shah, JP Nadda and other BJP leaders were also found in the posters. Now it can be confirmed that Devadas Desai was behind this incident.
