Father Tom Uzhunnalil’s relatives meet Governor

Thiruvananthapuram: The relatives of Kerala priest Tom Uzhunnalil, kidnapped in March 2016 in war-torn Yemen by terror group Islamic State, Wednesday met Governor Justice P Sathasivam, seeking his intervention to press the Centre to intensify the search for him.

Former chief minister Oommen Chandy accompanied the relatives to meet the Governor this evening and requested the latter to expedite action to trace Father Uzhunnalil, who was kidnapped by the IS at Aden in Yemen on March 4 last year.

The Governor assured them of all possible help and forwarded the plea submitted by the relatives to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said Wednesday that the government was sparing no effort to trace Kerala priest Tom Uzhunnalil, who was kidnapped in war- torn Yemen by terror group Islamic State (IS) in March 2016.

"Governor (Kerala): We are sparing no effort," she said on Twitter. Her tweet came in response to the meeting held between the relatives of Father Uzhunnalil and the Kerala Governor.

Father Uzhunnalil had gone missing after the terror group attacked a care home run by Mother Teresas Missionaries of Charity.