Wrest and peace over last rites

MARGAO, MAY 20  
Deputy Collector, Margao Agnelo Fernandes intervened on Thursday after the father of deceased Wilma Colaco staked claim to perform the last rites of his daughter, which was hotly contested by the mother, Rita.
The estranged husband and wife were called by the deputy collector after the husband claimed to perform the last rites. During the meeting, the deputy collector made the husband to see reason since the deceased daughter and two other children were living with the mother.
The deputy collector said the husband and wife have been living separately for the last 10 years, adding that while the husband was staying in Nuvem, the wife was putting up at Cuncolim. “Though the husband claimed the right to perform the last rites, both the husband and wife finally agreed to jointly perform the rites at the Cuncolim Church”, deputy collector said.
He directed the Cuncolim police to depute two policemen in plainclothes at the funeral as a precautionary measure.