Kottayam: Puthuppally's long-serving legislator and former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy who passed away on Tuesday would be laid to rest in an exclusive part of the cemetery of the St George Orthodox Church which is famed as the Puthuppally church.

The special tomb that is being readied is at that part of the cemetery where priests are buried.

The vicar of the church, Fr Dr Varghese Varghese, said that although the Karottu Vallakkalil family of the late leader has its own burial vault in the church cemetery, a special tomb was being erected as a sign of respect for his services to the Malankara Orthodox Church, the Puthuppally church, and the area in general and the happy moments that he had bestowed on all of them.

The decision to construct a special tomb was taken by the church committee which held an emergency meeting after the news of Oommen Chandy’s death broke.