Kerala Nun rape : Father Kuriakose who testified against bishop Mullakal found dead

Alappuzha / Jalandhar : Father Kuriakose Kattuthara, who had given a statement to the police against bishop Franco in the rape case of a nun was found dead in St. Mary’s Church in Dasuya in Jalandhar. The 67 years old father was found dead on Monday morning. The exact cause of his death is not known yet.

Family of father Kuriakose Kattuthara in Cherthala alleged mystery behind his death and demanded a detailed inquiry into his death.

“We never believe he committed suicide. He showed courage to act against the wrong activities of bishop Franco Mulakkal and my brother faced threats from various parts following it. He shared it whenever we talked over phone. Many nuns approached my brother when they faced problems from bishop Franco and my brother also questioned Franco about it. So it is sure that he had many rivals. So we strongly believe that there is mystery behind his death,” said Johny Thomas Kattuthara, brother of Kuriakose Kattuthara.

“We are going to lodge a complaint with Alappuzha district police chief in this connection. Today morning around 10.30am we received information about his death,” said Johny, who is a businessman settled in Kochi.

According to informed sources, a cook first came to know about the death when he went to the room after the priest wasn’t seen as usual doing his routine work. However, the room was bolted from inside and there was no response. He immediately informed nuns in the school who subsequently informed Father Libon, a priest of a church in adjoining town Mukerian.

“The cook had gone to his room after finding that he had not turned up for breakfast. He had also not shown up for the dinner the previous night. The cook and the nuns found that there was no response from inside. They informed me and I immediately rushed to the place from Mukerian. We broke open the door around 10.30am and found that Father Kuriakose was lying motionless. I immediately rushed him to Civil Hospital in Dasuya where he was declared brought dead by a doctor,” Libon told TOI.

Police under the supervision of Hoshiarpur SSP J Elanchzian searched the room of the deceased priest.

It is learnt that the deceased had met the SIT of Kerala police when they visited Jalandhar in the second week of August in connection with the Kerala nun’s rape case. He had corroborated nun’s allegations. The Church where he was working is under Diocese of Jalandhar.

Source : TOI