Goa rights panel investigates police interference in funeral

The Goa Human Rights Commission is investigating police actions during a funeral in Avedem, Quepem. A senior citizen, Ganesh Dessai, complained that police denied his family the right to perform funeral rites for his wife on their ancestral land. Dessai reported that a large police presence disrupted the funeral on February 25, keeping his wife's body at home for hours. He claims there was no legal order for police interference and alleges misuse of power to intimidate his grieving family. He is requesting an inquiry into the police and deputy collector's actions, seeking disciplinary measures for harassment. Dessai also wants assurance that his family's religious and property rights will be respected in the future.