Udupi: Oscar Meets Jacintha's Family, says Body to be Brought Home Soon
Inchara Udupi
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Udupi, Dec 12: Rajya Sabha MP and Congress leader Oscar Fernandes on Wednesday December 12 visited the house of Jacintha Saldanha, the UK-based nurse from Mangalore/Shirva who allegedly committed suicide in London last week following a prank call.
Oscar Fernandes met the family and expressed his condolonces on their loss.
Speaking to reporters later, he said that as per the British law, the family of the deceased person could see the body only after the post mortem was done. "Accordingly, Jacintha's husband and children have been allowed to see the body as the post mortem has now been done."
"The mortal remains will be brought to India from England in the next three or four days," he added.
"I have come here to console the family. The family is in agony and extreme sorrow. They need peace and consolation," he said.
Oscar's wife Blossom Fernandes, former minister Vasanth Salian, Suresh Shetty Gurme, M A Ghafoor, Sarasu Bangera, Naveen J Shetty, Prakash Shetty, Conrad Castelino, Ignatius D'Souza, Veronica Cornelio, Naveen N Shetty, Harish Kini, Abdul Aziz and others were present.
Meanwhile, sources said that the Indian High Commission in London is in touch with Jacintha's husband and is helping him in bringing her body back to India.
According to external affairs ministry sources, her husband Benedict Barboza has told the Indian High Commission that he would like the body to be sent back home to Mangalore.
"Our mission is in touch with the husband of Saldanha and is assisting in smooth completion of various formalities involved in it," the source said.
Saldanha fell prey to a hoax call from Australian radio jockeys about the Duchess of Cambridge's pregnancy.
Saldanha, 46, a mother of two, was found unconscious Dec 7 in the quarters of the King Edward VII Hospital in central London where she was working as a senior nurse. She was pronounced dead in a hospital.
Two radio jockeys from Sydney radio station had called up the hospital Dec 4.
Jacintha picked up the call in the absence of the receptionist and transferred it to another duty nurse who briefed the two RJs on the health condition of the Duchess of Cambridge (Kate Middleton), who was admitted to the hospital Dec 3 after she complained of acute morning sickness.
News about the hoax call shocked the royal family and caused outrage the world over, especially in the British media.
According to Jacintha's brother Naveen Saldhana, the family is waiting for the arrival of the body in Mangalore, with Benedict and his two children Junal, 16, and Lisha, 14, for the last rites that will be performed at Shirva as per the Catholic tradition.
With IANS inputs