Bismarque's family suspect foul play in his death last week and had yesterday refused to organise his funeral seeking a swift probe into the incident.
The family of activist and Catholic priest Bismarque Dias, whose body was found in a river in his village under mysterious circumstances last week, called on Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Wednesday and demanded speedy probe into the incident even as they continue to put on hold Dias's funeral. "Parsekar assured the family members of the deceased that his viscera report as well as the preliminary death report will be made available expeditiously," said Valmiki Naik, an activist who was part of delegation comprising Dias's kin that met the CM.
Bismarque's family suspect foul play in his death last week and had yesterday refused to organise his funeral seeking a swift probe into the incident. They have kept the body in morgue. Bismarque, a non-practising Catholic priest and an activist, was found dead on November 7 in the backwaters of his village St Estevam after going missing on November 5. Meanwhile, BJP legislator Vishnu Wagh, who claims himself to be classmate of the deceased, has demanded that a special investigation team be set up to ensure a "fair" probe. "Goa's firebrand environmentalist and social activist has died under mysterious circumstances. His friends and relatives are not ready to believe that his death was accidental and many people have expressed fear that somebody might have conspired to physically eliminate the fighter father," Wagh said in a letter.
A delegation, led by Bismarque's brother Mario Dias, yesterday called upon state DGP T N Mohan and demanded that the probe be handed over to the crime branch. Bismarque was the leader of a band of musicians who used to organise musical protests against several projects in the coastal state including an upcoming golf course and a new greenfield airport. He was currently spearheading a protest against the government's plans to build an electronic city in the state.
He was also involved in protest against several tourism projects requiring large-scale land acquisition. On November 5, he went for an overnight picnic with two friends and was seen last going for a swim in the river. While the first autopsy report said he died of drowning, the second autopsy, conducted due to public pressure, said there were no external injuries but the cause of death can not be ascertained until the viscera report comes.
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