Kottayam: The body of Father Martin Xavier Vazhachira will take time to be released from Scotland, an Indian parliamentarian was informed.
The 33-year-old Carmelite of Mary Immaculate priest from Kerala, southern India, was found dead under mysterious circumstances on June 20.
The delay in bringing the body was mentioned in an email that Jose K Mani, who represents Kottayam in Lok Sabha, received on July 25 from Anju Ranjan Jose, the Indian consular to Edinburgh. She said the delay was to complete the formalities related to releasing the body of a person who died in unknown circumstances.
The priest’s body was found at a beach in Edinburgh, nearly 50 km away from St John the Baptist’s Church, Corstorphine, where he served as the pastor since October 2016, reports manoramaonline.com.
The Scotland police informed the consulate that the inquiry was progressing in the right direction and all the pieces of evidence had been collected, including body samples.
The priest’s relatives in India were expecting to receive the body mid July. Even the investigators reportedly informed the consulate that the proceedings to release the body to his kin were being completed, even if the investigation was inconclusive. There was a feeling that the police would hand over the body after collecting vital evidence.
However, even a month after his death, Martin’s relatives are clueless on the release of his dead body from Scotland. Subsequently, the CMI leaders sought Mani’s help. The MP then contacted the Indian consulate in Edinburgh.
Mani said that he had been in constant touch with the Foreign Affairs Ministry for its interference ever since Fr. Martin went missing. He had also written to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, seeking her immediate intervention in the matter. He also said that he kept a regular contact with the Indian consular at Edinburgh.
The priest belongs to Vazhachirayil house, Pulinkunnu, Kuttanad. He had gone to Scotland last year to do doctoral studies at the Edinburgh University.