The last rites of MLC, former minister and Dakshina Kannada district Congress former president Blasius M D’Souza, were performed at St Sebastian Church, Bendoor on Sunday evening.  Mr D’Souza passed away after a prolonged illness on Saturday. He was 69.

A large number of priests, nuns, laity and Congress party workers took part. Prominent among them were former chief minister and Administrative Reforms Commission Chairman M Veerappa Moily, former union minister B Janardhan Poojary, District Congress President B Ramanath Rai and former ministers B Nagaraj Shetty and B A Moideen, local Congress leaders Ivan D’Souza and Naveen D’Souza. Deputy Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao too attended.

Soon after the mass, police gave gun salute as part of State honours before the body was laid to rest. Prior to the ceremony, the eminent Congressman’s body was brought in a procession from his home ‘Amar Deep.’