Team Herald
BICHOLIM: Tension prevailed in Poira Mayem over cremation of the body of one Kallappa Chikodi after the locals denied them permission to perform the final rites on ground that he is a non-Goan.
According to reports reaching here, when Chikodi’s family took his body to the village crematorium, the locals gathered in large number and blocked them from entering the crematorium.
According to the locals, the Chikodi family being non-Goans, they have no right in the village crematorium. The situation became tense after both the parties started arguing over the issue.
As per the Chikodi family, they are working in the Mayem mines since last more than 70 years and claim to be residents of the village. “We are staying here since last 70 years and are performing all the rites in the same village. But now suddenly these villagers are denying us the cremation site and we don’t know on what ground they are opposing us,” family member Sanjay Chikodi claimed.
On being informed of the incident, Bicholim Mamlatdar Pravinjay Pandit rushed to the site and tried to pacify the mob. But since the villagers refused to listen to him, the mamlatdar brought the body to Bicholim and the final rites were performed in the Bicholim municipal crematorium.
