Update: Father Kuriakose Kattuthara, who was a key witness in the rape case
against Bishop Franco Mulakkal, was found dead in Punjab's Jalandhar on
Monday. "Father Kattuthara used to stay in a church in Dasuya. He
was 62. The Father was taken to a hospital where he was later declared
dead. I have been told that there were no marks on his body and he
vomited on bed. They have also found a blood pressure tablet. He was not
provided security. Now we will do post-mortem," AR Sharma, DSP, Dasuya
told ANI.
Bishop Mulakkal, who recently came out on bail from a
Kerala jail, is facing allegations of repeatedly raping a nun of his own
congregation, a charge that he denies.
The allegations against
the senior catholic priest whipped up a storm, polarising the church
hierarchy with several priests speaking against Bishop Mulakkal.