The body of Sri Lankan national Warnakulasurya Canicius Fernando (44), a representative of All-Ceylon Fisher People’s Trade Union from Negombo  who was shot dead by Madurai prison guard D Devaraj on Friday last while trying to enter the jail to meet fellow fishermen, was handed over to his brother after post-mortem on Sunday and he is being taken home via Tiruchi.

Following the concern expressed by the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission here over the killing of one of its nationals who had valid travel documents and permission to visit the jail, the State Government has ordered a magisterial enquiry and suspended the prison guard.

The body was handed over to Jude Normal Fernando as Mr Canicius’s wife Nirmala, a Tamil, and children Mona ( 16) and Stephen (13) could not make it to Madurai, reports said.

Mr Fernando had come to India on behalf of the owner of a fishing vessel seized by the Indian Coast Guard on June 13 last. Its four crew members were later sentenced to four months imprisonment and lodged in Madurai jail. With their sentence due to end shortly, Fernando came to take them back after getting the vessel released.