The partially decomposed body of priest-turned-social
activist and environmentalist Fr Bismark Dias was discovered in the waters off
Mandovi River this morning over 24 hours after he mysteriously went missing on
Thursday evening. A portion of his body, eaten by fish, was found entangled in
mangroves by the local residents of St Estevam.
The angry locals are
demanding CBI probe claiming he could have been hacked to death as he was at
loggerheads with certain sections of the society and the government over
several issues like Special Economic Zone, Regional Plan and the proposed Mopa
airport among other controversial projects. They have refused to accept
police’s preliminary probe that Fr Dias died due to drowning.
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“We have lost our son
and a warrior who fought for the rights of the people, environment and
society,” one of the villagers told this reporter.
The victim was last
seen at a bandh, near the sluice gate at St Estevam on Thursday evening where
he is said to have been accompanied by two young boys. When he was not
traceable till Friday morning, his relative filed a missing persons complaint
at the Old Goa police station.
His mobile phone, motorbike, wallet, sandals and other
belongings were found from the spot where he was last seen raises a strong
suspicion that he could have been a victim of crime.
The body was sent to the Goa medical college and hospital
for post-mortem, report of which is awaited that will ascertain the exact cause
of death.
The activist had a
long running feud with Cumbarjua legislator Pandurang Madkaikar against whom
the Catholic priest contested the 2012 general assembly elections as an
Independent candidate.
