62 year old Father Kuriakose Kattuthara, who filed a case against Bishop Franco Mulakkal, was found dead on Monday morning in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur district. A police officer said no injury was found but there were signs he had vomited. Blood pressure medicine was also found near him.
The exact cause of his death is not known yet however, Father Kuriakose’s family and other witnesses in the case suspect a conspiracy in his death.
The police complaint was filed by Father Kuriakose’s brother in Alappuzha. “…my brother was repeatedly threatened by persons close to the bishop (who) damaged a car and threw stones at his house in Jalandhar…There was a deliberate attempt from the part of the bishop, his relatives and associates to persuade the witnesses in the case either through undue influence or threatening,” said Jose Kurian.
According to the reports, a few nuns had knocked on Father Kuriakose’s door on Monday morning and when he didn’t answer, they returned with another pastor from the parish. When they opened the door, they found Father Kuriakose lying on the floor. They rushed him to a government hospital where he was declared dead.
Also read: Kerala: Priests, nuns accused of covering up the rape of a minor surrender
Fr Kuriakose had helped the nun who raised allegations against Franco Mulakkal. Father Kuriakose had given a statement against Bishop Franco Mulakkal to the Kerala police in the rape case of a nun from Missionaries of Jesus.
The nun, in a complaint in June, alleged that she was raped by Franco Mulakkal 13 times, during his visits to a convent in Kottayam.
