It has also urged the Indian government to prevail upon the British government to expedite the process of handing over Saldanha’s body to her family members in Shirva in Udupi district of Karnataka.
“Saldanha’s family members were distressed over the time being taken by the authorities to hand over the deceased nurse’s body,” said Fr. Dennis Moras Prabhu, vicar general of the diocese.
The priest said that Saldanha’s family was in the dark over the cause of her death and were not being allowed to speak to her husband Benedict Barboza.
Saldanha was found dead last week after receiving a prank phone call from two radio jockeys.
She put the call through to another nurse who gave the impostors details of the condition of the Duchess of Cambridge, wife of Prince William, who was in the hospital with severe morning sickness.
Fr. Prabhu expressed the need of an independent inquiry by the U.K. government to unearth the real reasons behind Saldanha’s death.
He said the Mangalore diocese had got in touch with the federal petroleum minister Veerappa Moily and All India Congress Committee member Oscar Fernandes.
They had been asked to direct the Indian embassy to expedite the process of handing over Saldanha’s body, he said.