City Police Commissioner P. Prakash has constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the attack by unknown persons on the Pieta shrine at Tangasseri here on Tuesday.
Mr. Prakash who visited the crime scene said that Assistant Police Commissioner M.S. Santosh would head the SIT and he would personally supervising the investigation.
Mr. Prakash said that from the police side, all efforts would be taken to ensure that such incidents were not repeated.
A dog squad was brought to the crime scene and finger print experts gathered evidence from there. The police said that though a huge crowd had gathered at the shrine, there were no untoward incidents.
Labour Minister Shibu Baby John visited the scene and condemned the attack. He addressed a meeting presided over by Kollam Bishop Stanley Roman at the Infant Jesus Anglo Indian HSS auditorium to denounce the attack.
P.K. Gurudasan, MLA, Mayor Honey Benjamin, leaders of various political parties, priests, nuns, and several others addressed the meeting.
A protest meeting was held by the parishioners of the Holy Cross Church at the parish hall.
In a statement, N.K. Premachandran, MP, condemned the attack and said that it was the work of anti-socials to upset peace in society. He said he talked to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala about the incident.
CPI(M) district secretary K.N. Balagopal, who visited the shrine with other leaders of his party, said the attack appeared to be a calculative one aimed at creating communal disturbance.
He wanted the police to seriously probe whether it was the work of communal elements. The police should also take strong measures to ensure that such incidents were not repeated.
