MUMBAI: Two new identical idols of Mother Mary were installed at Christian Village in Kurla following last week's vandalism. The community also put CCTV cameras at strategic positions to pre-empt any mischief.Fr Pascal Sinor , assistant parish priest of the neighbouring Holy Cross Church , said, "The idols have been gifted by our church. They are 3 feet tall and dressed in beautiful saris. The previous idols were adorned with crowns of gold but this time we have only used imitation jewellery to ward off criminal elements."A half hour long prayer session was held in the church at 5.30pm. The idols were then taken out in procession around the village and consecrated at the two sites. Bishop Allwyn D'Silva presided over the ceremony attended by hundreds of local residents.On February 19, the statues at First Cross and near Johny Cross were damaged by bike-borne miscreants. Locals thronged to pray at the site and an outpouring of sorrow and anger led to protest marches as well.Police arrested two local youth who confessed to having broken the glass to steal the gold chains from the idols. One of them claimed he needed money to secure bail for his father who remains in jail for a petty offence.However, local residents are convinced it was an act of deliberate desecration as the civic elections were coming up then. "Why would thieves throw a paver block from a distance and shatter the glass to announce their arrival? We are sure this was the handiwork of communal elements particularly since the polls were due. But their intentions were foiled because a secular party won from the area," said Fr Pascal.Some communities immerse damaged idols by immersing them in water bodies. Fr Pascal said, "We have not decided what to do. They are still in the church. We may repair them and give them to somebody or bury them in the church premises. But that will happen after we receive justice."

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