Panaji Resident Returns Home After Being Declared Dead and Buried

Panaji, Goa – In a bizarre turn of events, a 65-year-old resident of Agasaim, Milagres Gonsalves, has returned home two months after his “death” and subsequent funeral. The mysterious case has left both the police and the local community baffled.

Gonsalves, who was known to be mentally unstable and had previously received treatment at the state-run Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour (IPHB), went missing from his home sometime last year. Concerned for his wellbeing, his family reported him missing and a missing person report was registered at the Agasaim police station.

Shortly after his disappearance, a dead body was discovered and taken to the Goa Medical College in Bambolim. The family was informed about the unidentified body and approached the police. Panaji police assisted the family in identifying the body at the morgue, and multiple family members, including his wife, confirmed it as that of Milagres. The cause of death was determined to be a heart attack after a postmortem examination.

As the cause of death was deemed natural, the police issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the family so they could claim the body and proceed with the final rites. However, the case took a surprising twist when Milagres returned home 15 days ago, leaving everyone perplexed.

The incident came to light when the police requested Goa Medical College to correct the name of the deceased person in the postmortem report. This revelation has raised questions about the proper procedures followed by the family and the police during the identification process.

Former sarpanch Xavier Gracias expressed his astonishment, saying, “How can the police deny custody of the body to the family when they themselves identified it as their family member? How did multiple close family members identify the body as that of Milagres Gonsalves?”

Adding to the mystery, none of the residents in the Agasaim ward noticed any discrepancies during the open casket rituals of Milagres’ funeral. “We all attended the funeral, and no one raised any suspicion. We also felt it looked like him,” said Gracias. “He had been ill for some time and went missing suddenly in September-October 2023. His children and other family members are working abroad, and his family back home filed a missing person’s complaint. The unidentified body was found soon after, and when the family was taken to identify it, they believed it was him.”

The unexpected return of Milagres has now prompted the police to investigate whose body was actually buried. The entire incident has left the community in shock and raised concerns about the accuracy of the identification process.

With more details emerging, the case of Milagres Gonsalves has captivated the attention of the Goan public. As the investigation continues, the truth behind this baffling tale remains elusive.