Goa, a young Catholic cremated 'by mistake' along with homeless people

The Gonzalves family remembers Januz, 24, who died during a football match. Taken to the hospital, he "disappeared" in the mortuary. The hospital "apologizes" for an error that "can happen". The funeral "full of color, as was the life of the boy".

by Nirmala Carvalho

Mumbai (AsiaNews) - A young Catholic from Goa was cremated "by mistake" along with three bodies unclaimed by families. This was denounced by the Gonzalves family, which today celebrates the month’s mind of young Januz. He died last September 23 during a football match: he was rushed to Goa Medical College and died during transport.

When the family went to the place, they realized that the body of the deceased had disappeared from the mortuary. The perpetrators admitted that Januz had been burned in a city crematorium and apologized for a mistake "that can happen".

The Gonzalves however decided to celebrate the boy's funeral at the church of St. Thomas:  His mother Vyette toells AsiaNews – “It was a beautiful ceremony, full of joy. Januz was like that, an artist and a very vital young man. His death, however, produced some fruits: the Minister for Health came to see me and offered me a sum of money for the tragedy suffered. I have refused, because the money will not give me back my son: but I told him clearly that such a tragedy must never happen again ".

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