Father Kuriakose’s Death: Police files unnatural death case

Jalandhar, Oct 23: The Punjab police on Tuesday filed a case of unnatural death, a day after Father Kuriakose Kattuhara was found dead in Hoshiarpur. Father Kuriakose was one of the prime witnesses who had testified against rape accused Franco Mulakkal.

Father Kuriakose, who was found dead under mysterious circumstances at his residence had alleged that he had been tortured by Franco Mulakkal for filing a complaint.

Though he did not have any major role as a witness, he was one among the many 100 who were questioned in connection with the case against Bishop Franco. His family has filed a complaint alleging that he had feared for his life and had been attacked earlier.

Franco Mulakkal, a senior priest accused of repeatedly raping a nun between 2013 and 2016, was released from a prison in Kerala on bail last week. He was welcomed by his supporters with rose petals and garlanded when he arrived in Jalandhar.

The nun in her complaint had alleged that she had been raped 13 times during his visits to a convent in Kottayam, a charge that the Bishop has denied. The nun had written to the Vatican following his Franco gave his pastoral duties at the Jalandhar diocese of the Missionaries of Jesus. He had been arrested and then granted bail after three weeks.