Goa priest’s family agree to bury remains three years after his death

Demanding a "proper probe" into the death of the priest, his family members had refused to accept his mortal remains which were preserved in a morgue at the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) near here.

Died under 'mysterious circumstances', Goa priest finally laid to rest after three years

Fr Bismarque Dias was buried Sunday in his ancestral St Estevam village in Goa. (Express photo)

Three years after he was found dead under “mysterious circumstances” in Mandovi river, priest-turned-activist Fr Bismarque Dias was finally laid to rest Sunday in his ancestral St Estevam village in Goa.

His family members had refused to take the body despite the Goa crime branch concluding his death as “drowning”. His

mortal remains were preserved in a morgue at the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).

Fr Dias, who was an expert swimmer, was at the forefront of several agitations for the cause of environment. He had opposed the Golf Course project of a seven-star hotel at Terekhol village in North Goa.

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The corpse was brought to his ancestral village Sunday morning and was kept at St Estevam Church for final prayers.(Express photo)

The family members finally agreed to bury the remains of the priest on November 4 which coincided on his birthday.

Fr Dias corpse was brought to his ancestral village Sunday morning and was kept at St Estevam Church for final prayers. He was buried in the cemetery near the church, with hundreds of people attending the funeral. Father Eusico Pereira, the Parish priest of St Estevam Church, hailed the departed activist for his efforts in saving environment.

With inputs from Smita Nair

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