Goa Police are set to issue a Look Out Circular for right-wing activist Gautam Khattar after an FIR was filed against him for controversial remarks regarding St Francis Xavier, Goa's patron saint.
Key Points
- Goa Police are planning to issue a Look Out Circular against Gautam Khattar after remarks on St Francis Xavier.
- An FIR has been registered against Khattar for allegedly hurting religious sentiments and trying to create communal discord.
- Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant stated that police have begun an extensive search for Khattar and expect to arrest him soon.
- Complaints have been filed against Khattar in multiple locations across Goa.
Police are planning to issue a Look Out Circular (LOC) against right-wing activist Gautam Khattar, who has been untraceable since an FIR was registered against him over remarks on St Francis Xavier, Goa's patron saint, officials said on Wednesday
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told reporters on Tuesday evening that the police have begun an extensive search for Khattar.
"The accused would be arrested within two days," he said.
Police Search For Khattar Intensifies
A Goa police team visited Khattar's residence in Dehradun (Uttarakhand) on Tuesday, but he was not found there, a senior police official told PTI on Wednesday.
The police have issued a summons to him, asking him to remain present before the investigation officer, but he has not responded.
The state police are in the process of initiating an LOC against Khattar to ensure he does not flee the country, the official said.
Controversy Over Remarks on St Francis Xavier
A row erupted after a video of Khattar, the founder of Sanatan Mahasangh, addressing an event on April 18 in the presence of Swami Brahmeshanand, State Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho and BJP MLAs Sankulp Amonkar and Daji (Krishna) Salkar, went viral.
The Vasco police have registered an FIR against Khattar for allegedly hurting religious sentiments and trying to create communal discord after his speech against St Francis Xavier, whose relics are preserved at the Basilica of Bom Jesus Church, Old Goa.
Multiple Complaints Filed Against Activist
The case has been transferred to the state police's Crime Branch, officials said, adding that complaints have been filed against Khattar at more than a dozen places in the state, including Vasco, Old Goa, Panaji, Margao and Anjuna.
The Archdiocese of Goa and Daman has also condemned the "hateful and malicious" remarks, which it said were aimed at maligning the legacy of St Francis Xavier, popularly known as "Goencho Saib".
