Body of nun found in well in Kollam

A 54-year-old nun was on Sunday found dead in a well in the convent she was residing, in Pathanapuram in Kollam district. The body of Sr Susan Mathew, a teacher in St Stephen’s School in Pathanapuram, was found in the well in Mount Tabor Dayara Convent at about 9.30 am. The convent and school are attached to the Kottayam-headquartered Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.

Blood stains were found on pillars near the well. Sr Susan did not join other nuns for the morning prayers in the chapel. After the prayer, the inmates noticed that she was not in her room. Later, they noticed blood stains near the well and found the body. Police said the nun was epileptic and was under treatment. “There’s a deep cut on her left wrist. The wound appears to be self-inflicted,” a senior police official told DH.

Sr Susan was a native of Kallada in Kollam district. Police and fire and rescue services personnel took out the body from the well only at around 2 pm after the Revenue Divisional Officer arrived at the convent for the inquest.

In 1992, the body of Sr Abhaya, a 19-year-old Catholic nun, was found in the well of St Pius X Convent in Kottayam. In March this year, 26 years after the murder, a CBI court in Thiruvananthapuram dismissed discharge pleas of two accused – Fr Thomas M Kottur and Sister Sephy – and ordered them to face trial in the case.