Liaise with priest to perform last rites of Fr Dias: GHRC

The Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) has asked the administration to liaise with Catholic priest of St Estevam village to perform final rites of Fr Bismarque Dias, a priest-turned-social activist, who was found dead in November 2015.
The body of the priest is still lying at the morgue operated by the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) though district administration and police have issued a no objection certificate (NOC) to perform last rites.
"The Collector and the District Magistrate of North Goa shall issue directives to the concerned authorities to liaise with the Parish Priest of St Estevam and to arrange for the last rites of the deceased," the order reads.

Fr Dias, who went missing on November 6, 2015 was found dead near the sluice gate of Mandovi river at St Estevam village in North Goa the next day.
The death of Fr Dias is being probed by the Goa Crime Branch after his family and friends suspected foul play after his body was found floating in a river near his village St Estevam, 20 kms from here.
The family has refused to take possession of the body till the mystery surrounding the death of Fr Dias is unravelled by the investigators.

"The record indicates that the body of Fr Dias is lying in the morgue since November 7, 2015. The complaint states that the parish priest of St Estevam is willing to conduct the final rites provided the legal heirs/relatives of the deceased gave no objection for it," reads the order by GHRC which was pronounced today, copy of which is with PTI.

Social activist Aires Rodrigues had moved the GHRC seeking directives to dispose off the body.
"The records further indicate that the Crime Branch has given NOC to carry out final rites of Fr Dias on November 9, 2015. Additional Collector (North) too has given the NOC on the same day," the order mentions.
"Despite NOCs by Crime Branch and Additional Collector, the body of Fr Dias is still lying in the morgue at Goa Medical College and Hospital," the GHRC observed today.
Dias had unsuccessfully contested from Cumbharjua constituency in the March 2012 Goa Assembly elections, even after having been threatened with dire consequences if he did so.

He had also participated in the "musical protest" against the proposed golf project at Tiracol, the protests by the fishing community in Vasco and against the Raheja project at Carmona.