In response to the alleged desecration of religious texts in Santi Bastawad village, Belagavi Police Commissioner Iada Martin Marbaniang has announced the formation of five dedicated teams to investigate the incident.
Addressing the media on May 13 in Belagavi, Commissioner Marbaniang confirmed that investigators had already gathered some leads. “We have some clues and will investigate the matter further,” he stated, adding that senior officers are closely monitoring the progress of the probe.
The incident came to light when devotees visiting the village mosque noticed that several prayer books, including copies of the Quran, were missing from a shelf. Their search led them to a field on the village outskirts, where they discovered partially burnt books.
The discovery sparked outrage, and on the night of May 12, a large group of youths took to the streets in protest, demanding swift justice and action against those responsible.
Belagavi North MLA Asif (Raju) Sait joined the demonstrators and submitted a memorandum to the police. He criticized law enforcement for its handling of similar cases in the past. “This is not the first time such an incident has occurred. Previous offenders were not dealt with firmly, which has emboldened anti-social elements,” he said. Sait also alleged negligence on the part of certain officers and called for the immediate transfer of those he deemed responsible for dereliction of duty.