New Delhi: Father Kuriakose Kattuthara, 60, who had given a statement to the police against Bishop Franco Mulakkal in the Kerala nun rape case, was found dead in Bhogpur in Jalandhar on Monday morning. The exact cause of his death is not known.
His brother, Jose Kattuthara, has alleged that Father Kuriakose Kattuthara had been killed for giving a statement against Bishop Franco Mulakkal.
Father Kuriakose had given a statement against Bishop Franco Mulakkal to the Kerala police in the rape case of a nun from the Missionaries of Jesus. Earlier, Father Kuriakose had alleged, in an interview to Mathrubhumi, that he was constantly threatened by church officials for his support of the nun who has accused the bishop of rape.
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Father Kuriakose, who was a vocational teacher at the Jalandhar diocese, had also taught the survivor nun and the other nuns who protested for justice. S.P. Harishankar, who is investigating the rape case, confirmed to The News Minute that Father Kuriakose was a prosecution witness against Bishop Franco in the case.
Speaking to TNM, Sister Anupama, who had led the protests against Bishop Franco said, “We are very shocked to hear this news. Father Kuriakose has taught me and he was part of our parish as well. He was a crucial witness in our case as he had given statements against Bishop Franco to the police.”
On October 15, Franco Mulakkal was released from a sub-jail in Pala, Kottayam, after the Kerala high court granted him conditional bail. Upon his return to Jalandhar on October 18, he was given a ‘grand’ welcome by the Diocese of Jalandhar, including the nuns.
The prayers of the people of Punjab supported me. I believe that they will pray for me even in the days to come. I thank everyone. Investigation is underway & I am co-operating. I’m a law abiding citizen & I trust the legal system of the country: Bishop Franco Mulakkal pic.twitter.com/jU8SjpSHjF
— ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2018
Bishop Franco had been interrogated by the Kerala Special Investigation Team (SIT) in September and temporarily relieved of his pastoral responsibilities by Pope Francis. Soon after, the bishop was arrested by the Kerala police after intense interrogation and taken to a guest house at Kuravilangadu by police for reconstruction of the crime scene. He had last month stepped aside as the bishop of the Jalandhar diocese handed over his administrative responsibility to a senior priest.
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Franco Mulakkal, however, has denied the charges.
(With inputs from PTI)