Kottayam: Father Tom Uzhunalil, the Saleshian priest who was abducted by terrorists from the Missionaries of Charity destitute home in Yemen on March 4, 2016, has sought the immediate intervention of the Indian government and the Church for his release. His appeal came in a new video taken from an undisclosed location. His second cousin Thomas Uzhunnalil confirmed that the person in the video is Fr Tom.
Fr Tom, a native of Ramapuram near Kottayam, said in the video that though his abductors had tried to contact the authorities, no one was responding. “The central government, the President, the churches and the Pope should intervene in my case,” he said. His health was weak and he needed immediate medical aid, he added. “If I belonged to any other country I would have got help from the authorities. A French mediaperson was also abducted by the terrorists. However, the French government intervened and facilitated his release,” he said.
Mr Thomas Uzhunnalil alleged that the government of India and the Saleshian Church were not effectively intervening for the release of Fr Tom. He appealed for their help as the members of the family assembled at their house at Vadakkumbhagom near Ramapuram near Pala after coming to know of the video. The terrorists had killed 16 inmates of the destitute home, including four nuns, one of whom hailed from India.
