Rights panel probes ‘abuse of powers’ by cops over funeral rites

Panaji: The Goa Human Rights Commission has issued a notice to the South Goa superintendent of police after a senior citizen complained that he was denied the right to carry out the funeral rites of his wife on ancestral land at Avedem, Quepem.
Instead of allowing a peaceful funeral, a large police force was deployed without any legal order restraining his family from performing the last rites on the land where the last rites of ancestors were performed without any exception or interference, the complainant, Ganesh Dessai, stated. He added that his wife’s body was kept inside their home for hours as they begged the police to allow them to perform the last rites on Feb 25.
Dessai alleged misuse of power by the police to terrorise his grieving family and added that there was no court order for police interference in a private religious and family matter. He is seeking a detailed inquiry into the actions of the police and deputy collector for misuse of power, and disciplinary action against them for harassing him and his mourning family.
He is also seeking directions to restore his religious and property rights to ensure his family is never obstructed again from funeral rites, religious practices, or rightful access to the ancestral property until authorised by a court order.
The massive police force ensured no relatives helped the family in making funeral arrangements by threatening and intimidating them, he stated, alleging that the police treated the mourning family like criminals while they allowed politically connected land-grabbers to encroach upon the property.