Christian World | A Virgin Mary grotto beside a Catholic church in India's West Bengal was vandalized overnight, and police opened an investigation after a church complaint

ACW | November 11, 2026 — A small grotto dedicated to the Virgin Mary beside a Catholic church in South 24 Parganas district of India's West Bengal state was vandalized overnight Sunday, AsiaNews and The Observer Post reported.

Residents found the grotto damaged and uprooted on Monday morning, Nov. 9, The Observer Post said. The church lies in the Catholic Church's Baruipur pastoral area.

"The mischief was committed under the cover of darkness with a specific motive to hurt religious sentiments," Father Ujjwal Mondal, who heads the pastoral area, told The Observer Post. He called for those responsible to be brought to justice, AsiaNews reported.

Church officials filed a complaint with local police, and a police team inspected the site and opened an investigation, The Observer Post said. No suspect has been named and the motive is unclear, both outlets reported.

Some members of the Christian community suspect right-wing groups, but no link has been established, according to AsiaNews and The Observer Post. No response from the West Bengal government appeared in published reports.

Background: The incident came days after hundreds of Christians rallied in Kolkata on Nov. 5 against attacks on churches and prayer meetings; read ACW's report on the Kolkata rally.

Why it matters: The Christian group Bangiya Christiya Pariseba (BCP) said at the Kolkata rally that it had documented 48 incidents of violence and harassment against Christians in West Bengal over five months. Its secretary, Herod Mullick, has now told AsiaNews the state's Christians face an unprecedented crisis.

ACW will continue to follow this story.

Sources: AsiaNews — Marian grotto vandalised in West Bengal; The Observer Post — Mother Mary Grotto Vandalised Near Church in West Bengal

Photo: AsiaNews