Kerala nun rape case: Autopsy report says no injuries found on Father Kuriakose, suggests natural death
Father Kuriakose was a key witness in the Kerala nun rape case; he testified against the accused Franco Mulakkal.
A preliminary post-mortem report has not found any internal or external injury on the body of Father Kuriakose Kattuthara suggesting that he died a natural death.
A native of Kerala’s Allepy, Kuriakose, 61, was a key witness in the Kerala nun rape case who testified against accused bishop Franco Mulakkal. Kuriakose was found dead under mysterious circumstances on Monday in his room on the Catholic Church premises in Dasuya, 40km from here.
A four-member board, including Dr Jaswinder Singh (forensic medicine), Dr Kulwinder (medicine), Dr Shalinder (ENT) and Dr Harshpreet Kaur (pathology) on Tuesday conducted an in-camera post-mortem of Kattuthara at the Dasuya civil hospital.
The post-mortem was video-graphed after Kuriakose’s family said they may seek a second autopsy in Kerala in case they were not satisfied with the report. On Wednesday, Kuriakose’s cousin John Thomas said they will not get the second post-mortem done as they were satisfied with in-camera proceedings.
“We have not found any external or internal injury on the body,” said senior medical officer (SMO), Dasuya civil hospital, Dr Devinder Puri, adding the exact reason of the death could be known after they get the viscera report from the Kharar forensic lab. The funeral of Father Kuriakose was held at St Mary’s Forane Church in Pallippuram, Kerala.
Nun who protested against bishop heckled
Sister Anupama, who was at the forefront of protests demanding the arrest of bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of raping a nun, was on Thursday heckled by her colleagues at her own parish and was asked to leave the cemetery where the funeral of Father Kuriakose was going on.
The incident took place when Kuriakose’s body was brought for the final rites at the St Mary’s Forane in Pallippuram.
Reacting to the incident, Sister Anupama, who was accompanied by other nuns, broke down and said she was “deeply hurt” by the protests.
“I am from this place. I know Father Kattuthara for many years. He has seen me as his own daughter... we have only stood for truth,” she said.
(with agency inputs)