NAGARKOVIL: One of the two priests who were accused in the incident of murdering a transport employee in Eraniel has surrendered before the Tiruchendur court. Father Robinson surrendered to the court yesterday morning in the case of the murder of Xavier Kumar (45), a native of Madathuvila, Thinkal Chantha Mylode. In the case with 15-accused, Justus Roque (58) and Vincent (60) were arrested yesterday. They and the priest were remanded.

The incident happened on the 20th at 2:30 pm. Xavier Kumar, a mechanic in Tamil Nadu Transport, was also the Thakkalai constituency president of the Naam Tamilar Party. Xavier asked the church vicar about the accounts in the church after there was a dispute over it. In retaliation, his wife Gemini, a teacher at the RC Diocese school under the church, was fired. After this, the priest asked Xavier to come to the church for confession. Xavier who came to the church in the afternoon was hit on the head with an iron box by those in the priest's office. He was seriously injured and died on the spot. Then the accused took possession of the CCTV DVR and escaped.

10 special teams were formed under the leadership of District Police Chief Sundaravadanam for the other accused and the search was intensified. Surveillance was conducted in Chennai, Madurai and Nagercoil courts to nab the accused if they surrender before the court. The relatives of Xavier Kumar, who said that they will not accept the body without arresting the accused, received the body yesterday and performed the rites it in the evening.

First defendant a DMK leader

The first accused, Ramesh Babu (46), is DMK Party's Thakkalai constituency secretary and government lawyer. DMK announced yesterday that he has been temporarily removed from his post.