A fan of Portugal's football team was arrested on Tuesday in a south Goa village on charge of garlanding a local Hindu deity's statue with a cross while celebrating Portugal's victory over France in the Euro Cup finals.
Accused Lucas Carvalho was arrested in Sanguem village following a tip-off, Police Inspector Uttam Raut Desai told reporters here.
"Lucan has confessed that he garlanded the deity in a state of excitement after the Portuguese football team defeated France in the final match of the Euro cup," Raut Desai said.
The temple priest lodged the police complaint after noticing the cross placed around the deity's neck.
Portugal colonised Goa for 451 years before it was liberated by Indian armed forces in 1961.
--IANS
maya/tsb/dg