Mumbai, March 30: The BMC circular mandating cremation of dead bodies of those died due to coronavirus has been withdrawn, Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik said on Monday. The circular, issued by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi, said dead bodies of those died due to coronavirus will be cremated irrespective of religion to which they belong.

In a tweet shortly after the circular was issued, Nawab Malik said: "This is to bring to your kind attention that I have spoken to @mybmc Commissioner Mr Praveen Pardeshi regarding the circular issued by him for cremation of those who have lost their lives due to the #CoronaVirus. The said circular has now been withdrawn (sic)." While Hindus and Sikhs cremate bodies, Muslims and Christians bury them. Coronavirus Outbreak Live News Updates on March 30.

Nawab Malik's Tweet:

BMC Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi, in the circular, decreed that the dead bodies of all COVID-19 victims must be cremated at the nearest crematorium. He justified the move saying a religious community leader had brought to his notice that burial grounds for Muslim or Christians are located in densely populated localities of Mumbai, posing a high risk of contamination to their surrounding community or residential areas.

"If someone insists to bury the body, they will only be permitted if the body is taken out of Mumbai city's jurisdiction," the BMC chief had said. Earlier, China had issued an order that people who died due to coronavirus should not be buried but cremated quickly. China had said that the burial of their dead bodies could increase the risk of disease transmission.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 30, 2020 08:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).