For the grieving Mendonza  family, the final goodbye to their beloved 56-year-old kin became even more heart-rending when their church refused to bury him at the cemetery because of his COVID-19 diagnosis. The quinquagenarian from Kanjurmarg died of a heart attack on Tuesday evening while undergoing treatment at BKC COVID Centre. His family members then approached the St Francis Xavier Church for the burial, but were denied permission in violation of the BMC’s June order. The civic body had directed all cemeteries to allow burials of COVID-19 victims. Its order was further attested and amplified by the Archdiocese of Bombay’s office.

Speaking with mid-day, Swensea Cardoz, the 22-year-old niece of the deceased, said, “My uncle was admitted to the hospital on April 11 night soon after he tested positive for Coronavirus. He was very weak.”