Hindu Makkal Katchi leader Arjun Sampath and his followers marched towards a church in Pozhichalur, demanding that it be sealed immediately.

Mr. Sampath wanted to visit the church after the morning prayers but was prevented by the police as it would create tension.

Speaking to reporters, he said that the church should be sealed for burying a body without obtaining proper licence from the authorities.

“If the police fail to take action against the church authorities, we will seek legal remedy,” he said.

On Wednesday, Revenue Department officials and police found the decomposed body of Lonappan, 75, concealed in a concrete vault at the Catholic church in Pozhichalur, near Pallavaram.

Suspicious actions

According to sources, Lonappan, a member of the church, died a couple of days ago, and his mortal remains were taken to the church.

After the ceremony, the body was not taken to the burial ground. This raised the suspicion of some locals and they alerted the officials, who found the body.

They removed it from the vault and sent it for burial at a regular cemetery nearby.