A Nalasopara resident recently conducted the last rites of his  mother in the flashlight of mobile phones, thanks to the dysfunctional power back-up at a crematorium run by the Vasai-Virar Municipal authorities. A report stated that the Samelpada crematorium needs urgent attention. As a body was rested on the pyre, the electricity went out. There was no generator or inverter available there.

Since it was impossible to wait, the family turned on their mobile phone flashlights to complete the last rites. One can imagine the plight of a traumatised family, which is already struggling to process emotions, being forced to cremate through phone light. Crematorium officials stated that the equipment was dysfunctional, but it should have been made functional in double quick time.