The fight for justice to Fr Bismarque Dias will continue. At least that is what his friends have decided.

The friends of priest-turned-activist Fr Bismarque Dias who was found dead under suspicious circumstances in the year 2015 have demanded that Crime Branch should properly investigate this case including interrogation of five crucial witnesses.

Dias was found dead under mysterious circumstances in a river at St Estevam village in the year 2015 following which the Crime Branch had initiated investigation. But the investigating officer had ruled out foul play in his death, claiming it as ‘death due to drowning.’

Goa bench of Bombay high court which was hearing the petition filed by friends of the priest had asked crime branch to file FIR in this case and reopen the investigation.

“The five key witnesses who had seen Fr Bismarque at a location different from that mentioned by two boys who were with him (deceased) need to be properly examined for the truth to come out,” said three of his friends – Sudeep Dalvi, Kennedy Afonso and Samir Kelekar, who are also the petitioner in the HC matter.

Addressing press conference, trio also pointed out to the video released by Fr Bismarque days before his death in which he had spoken about threat to his life.

It might be recalled that body of Fr Bismarque is still lying in the morgue with the family members refusing to conduct final rites demanding detailed investigation in his death.

“All the people mentioned by Fr Bismarque as a threat to his life in the video recording which he made prior to his death, which include the members of St Estevam gram panchayat and certain builders and representatives of mega construction companies must be thoroughly interrogated,” they have demanded.

Afonso said “grievous injuries on Fr Bismarque’s forehead and neck during the first inquest panchanama conducted on November 07, 2015 do not reflect in two subsequent postmortem reports.”

All the three petitioners have said that when serious allegations are made in connection with the alleged crime, it is the duty of the state to preserve law and order and provide specific investigation in serious crimes in the bigger public interest.

Team TNV