In Dasuya, police visit the room in St Paul's church where Father Kuriakose Kattuthara, used to live. The priest was a witness in the Kerala nun rape case and was found dead yesterday. The Station House Officer said, "Prima facie, it was natural death. But it will be ascertained after postmortem. The door handle was broken by locals to take the body out; we've checked it."


Kattuthara, 62, was found unconscious in his room in Dasuya, 40 km from Hoshiarpur town, on Monday morning and was taken to a local hospital where he was declared brought dead. Police said the cause of the death would be known after post-mortem.

According to police, no visible injury marks were found on the body.

Relatives of Kattuthara in Kerala said the priest was concerned about his safety after coming out openly against rape-accused bishop Franco Mulakkal. Kattuthara had testified against Mulakkal, they said.


Besides demanding a thorough probe into the death, the relatives want the post-mortem to be conducted at the Alappuzha Medical College in Kerala.


Image: Police at the room in St Paul's church Dasuya, where Father Kuriakose Kattuthara, used to live. Pic: ANI