Well-known priest turned social activist Bismarque Dias was reported missing from his home in St Estevam since Thursday night.
Old Goa police has filed a missing person's complaint in this regard, following a complaint by his cousin Teodorico D'Mello.
According to the police, D'Mello lodged the complaint at 1 on Friday afternoon after the family members could not trace the whereabouts of Dias.
The police swung into action and a team led by PI Krishna Sinari went to St Estevan and started a search operation while also involving the coastal police.
However, till late Friday night, the police did not get any lead in the case. The police also informed that a wallet, mobile phone, motorcycle and some clothes were handed over to the police by the family members.
There were unconfirmed reports that Dias had gone along with two boys to the Babar bund on Thursday evening and that, Dias had reportedly gone for a swim.
While the two boys returned to their home, Dias did not. Concerned family members then started a search and they found a wallet, mobile, clothes and motorcycle belonging to Dias near the sluice gate, which were later handed over to the police.
Till late Friday night the police were taking statements from the two boys.
Old Goa Police informed that the two boys, one minor and one major, had gone to the bund.
“Later, Dias had ventured for a swim, but did not come back. The boys started searching for him but without success. They spent the entire night there and returned home in the morning presuming that Dias too might have returned home,” said a police source.
“It was only later on Friday that when the news of Dias's disappearance spread in the village that they narrated the incident to the villagers.”
A missing person's complaint was later lodged and police along with coastal police combed the area and its surroundings for more than an hour' but without success.
On the question of any suspicion behind the disappearance, the police said they are investigating all angles, including the possibility of drowning.
The statement of the minor boy was taken in the presence of an NGO and PSI Kirtidas Gaude is investigating the case.
Dias has been involved in a number of agitations on various social and political issues in the State. He had participated in the agitations against the proposed golf project at Tiracol, the protests by the fishing community in Vasco and had also taken part in meetings of the Aam Aadmi Party.
He was also involved in “musical protests” at Tiracol and against the Raheja project at Carmona.
Dias had unsuccessfully contested from Cumbharjua constituency in the March 2012 assembly elections and had even been threatened with dire consequences if he had contested the elections.
