Praveen Halappanavar will take the lead in agitating against Ireland's anti-abortion laws, which did not allow wife Savita an abortion which could have saved her life.

Savita's father Andanappa Sankappa Yalagi said Praveen left Bangalore in the early hours of Saturday and will reach Dublin on Sunday.

Meanwhile, India urged Ireland to initiate an independent probe into Savita's death.

In this regard, the Indian envoy to Ireland Debashish Chakravarti met the deputy PM and foreign minister Eamon Gilmore on November 16.

"The ambassador conveyed the desire of the Government of India for an independent enquiry to be conducted into the matter and requested it should be kept updated about its progress," official sources said.

Foreign minister Gilmore conveyed the deepest sympathies for Savita's death and requested that these be conveyed to the family.

Bangalore's Catholic Christian Secular Forum said the case was being wrongly portrayed, with religious and even racist connotations, without the Catholic viewpoint being equally emphasised. Joseph Dias, general secretary of CSF said, "Two investigations are on and its results should be awaited. It is yet to be conclusively established that the cause of death was denial of abortion." He added that the BJP and the MEA had jumped to conclusions and were taking potshots at the universal Catholic Church.

Savita died on October after doctors refused to abort her 17-week-old foetus.