Police detain seven in nun's murder case

“Seven people have been detained in connection with the brutal murder of Valsha John. We are interrogating them. We have suspended officer in charge of Amrapara police station Banarsi Prasad for dereliction of duty,” Santhal Pargana range DIG Vinay Kumar Pandey said.

Around 40 people on Tuesday night raided Pachuwara village in Pakur district and hacked John, 52, to death. John, from Kerala’s Ernakulam district, came nearly a decade ago to Pakur as a teacher in a mission-run school. Later, she opened a school and taught students up to Class IV.

Coming out in support of people who were opposing displacement due to the Panem coal mines in 2001, she earned the respect of the tribals for spearheading the movement. She later opened a school on land provided by the Panem coal mines.

The police claimed she later developed a soft corner for the coal company and started staying away from the district. They suspect role of local tribals in the murder, and rule out the possibility of involvement of the coal mafia.