Killers struck Abhaya in the head, says CBI

VR Jayaraj | Kochi

For the first time in the 16-year-long probe into the murder of Sr Abhaya, the CBI on Tuesday revealed that the nun was killed by striking her in the head with a blunt object at St Pius X Convent of the Knanaya Catholic Church in Kottayam on the night of March 26-27, 1992.

The CBI told the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Ernakulam that the three accused Church personalities had murdered the nun by striking her in the head with a blunt object at a narrow room adjacent to the kitchen of the convent. After committing the murder, the trio had thrown Sr Abhaya’s body in the well of the convent, the agency said.

The court was told that Sr Abhaya, who had gone in the night to take some water from the refrigerator kept at the kitchen, had seen Fr Thomas M Kottoor, Fr Jose Puthrukayil and Sr Seffi, an inmate of the convent (first, second and third accused respectively), together in suspicious circumstances in a narrow room where nobody could live. The CBI said that the trio murdered her out of fear that she could divulge the matter.

When the accused, who were produced before the court on Tuesday, complained that the CBI did not treat them decently, agency’s counsel Anil Kumar told the court that they, who had killed an innocent nun in cold blood, did not deserve any better treatment. The CJM Court remanded the accused in judicial custody till December 16 as their remand in CBI custody ended on Tuesday.

The CBI told the court that it had got all evidences to prove that the accused had committed the murder in the said manner. The counsel also said that the accused had revealed their roles in the murder clearly in their narco-analyses held at the Central Forensic Laboratory at Bangalore. To a complaint from the accused that the CBI had tortured them, the court said questioning in custody could not be seen as persecution.

When Sr Seffi complained that the CBI had subjected her to virginity test without her consent, the agency explained to the court that the test was inevitable considering the peculiar situation of the probe into the case. Anil Kumar told the court that it could examine the veracity of the CBI claim.

All claims by the accused that the CBI had persecuted them in custody failed as the agency explained how it had treated them. First accused Fr Kottoor complained he was made to sleep on the floor but said he was given food and medicines at the right times. The priest prayed to the court not to leave him in the custody of the CBI again.

Fr Jose Puthruka, second accused, said he was not allowed to sleep for three nights following the arrest on November 19. Even after that, the agency officials disturbed his sleep with questions. However, he said that a CBI official himself had taken away his dirty clothes for washing.

Sr Seffi, apart from her complaint about the virginity test, said she was persecuted mentally by the CBI. Hearing all the complaints, the Chief Judicial Magistrate told them interrogation in custody could not be seen as torture.

However, the CBI explained that the accused were never treated indecently. The three church personalities were given air-conditioned rooms to sleep in and they were taken to places in air-conditioned vehicles. The accused had been given all necessary medical assistance and decent food at the right times The counsel also said that all of them had been given the convenience to pray.

The CBI counsel told the court that the accused persons, who had killed an innocent girl, who was also a nun, in cold blood, could not be given more decent treatment than this. A bail petition of Fr Jose Puthrukayil was scheduled to come up in the court on Wednesday.

CBI had learned from witnesses that visit by men from outside during night-time was a regular affair at the convent. At least one eye-witness had told the CBI that the two priests and Sr Seffi were in the narrow room, where a person could not live, when Sr Abhaya saw them.

Sanju P Mathew, a witness who lived in the house next to the convent, had told the agency that he had seen Fr Kottoor’s two-wheeler in front of the convent on the night of the incident. He had also said that several of his own friends were regular visitors at the convent.

The body of Sister Abhaya, daughter of M Thomas, Areekara, Kottayam, was found in the well of the St Pius X Convent, where she was a nun, on March 27,1992, in the wee hours of the day. Initially, the local police investigated the case and wrote it off as one of suicide based on the post-mortem report. The Crime Branch, which probed the case later, also said it was a suicide. The first CBI teams to probe the case said Sr Abhaya was murdered but could not find the culprits.

 
     
Independent thinker
03/12/2008 08:05:01     Shame on all
When a Christian Nun was raped in Orissa riots by the so called Bajrang Dal workers all medias English and Malayalam ( NDTV, CNN IBN, Indiavision, Manorama, Asianet, Kairaly,Rediff.com, ) made big cries and long discussions.

When Nun Abhaya was Raped and Killed by Christians itself ( AND NOT BY HINDUS ) the medias took a conservative appraoch.

The incident in orrissa ocured during a big riot and the people involved are locals who are not readly identifiable.

But in Abhaya case the incident occured inside a CXhristian convent and the culprits are inside that convent and everybody knows them but there is lack of legal evidence.

Known Congress leaders tried to bury the Abhaya case.

Christians Pastors raped and killed Abhaya.

The unidentified Hindu locals ONLY raped the Orissa Nun ( NOT KILLED HER)

Who is better ?
or
Who is worst ?

Decide yourself.

Jai Hind. Violance and rape are not a solution to any problem.
Shankar, NY
03/12/2008 08:17:07     CLINICAL VIRGINS!
Now we understand why the Church is fighting with all weapons to help these notorious criminals. Many other fathers and sisters even the Bishops will be in trouble if they didn't help these criminals. They are very careful to appease these criminals otherwise they may tell more CONVENT STORIES about other fathers and sisters who are hiding underneath the white gown with surgically repaired "VIRGINITY". What a shame? It is sure that majority of nuns are living with repaired Virginity. The crocodile tears of nuns in the court is nothing but to appease sister seffi and to protect their own personal stories. So Kerala church is determined to help these criminals to hide the whole nasty internal stories. I doubt these suspects will commit church guided suicide (murder) immediately after they get bail to prevent further escalation.

VHP should give more attention to this incident and erect boards and banners in each and every corners of India where missionary works are going on.
Ramgopal
03/12/2008 07:16:33     Lost respect
Church should stop defending these criminals. The respect people had for nuns and Fathers are gone. To make the children respect their teachers in nun and father uniform these criminals should be shown as exceptions. Vatican which comment on everything going on the world is not uttering a word about it. Bishop Palaces are defeding the criminals rather than removing them from priest and nunhood. What a shame!
Shivadas.s
03/12/2008 00:52:02     Brides of the Creator
Why is the Creator sitting mute when His 'brides' are being snatched away and misused by the church'fathers'. No human being will sit back leisurely and enjoy when his bride is taken away for molestation. Here we see Creator sitting idle when numerous brides are jolly well engaged in sex games with 'fathers' all across the globe. Kottayam is not lagging behind. Kottayam fathers and their brides can be proud that they are catching up with Europe and America. Poor Pope will have a heavy job travelling across the world yelling pardon. Probably the Creator cannot satisfy all these brides; so He has delegated His powers to the fathers to do it for Him. Fathers are lucky that Creator is not a Man.
An Ex. Xian came back to Sanadhana Dharma.
02/12/2008 22:48:41     hey Xians u wake up !!!!
It is ridiculous that these criminals are wearing the Church Uniforms still with the approval of church owners. See how the Christians of Kerala are cheated.

We are sure that in other churches also the Affaya like incidents are usual. But now the situations is changed. Churches have beocome the Home of Sex Criminals (sisters and fathers) and Finane criminals. These bastards are looting the Hindus by denigrating Hinduism.

Karthavinte manavattimar Achan marude MANAVAAATTIMAR aakan vendi thanne aaa joli thiranjedukkunnu.

The whole xians are the victims of Church owners from Vatican.

These vatican is trying to implement their nasty culture in India and so they get the majority citizens acting on their commands. That is Y Sonya is and that is Y Antony is and that is Y Tom-Vadakkan is....

So I request Alll xians to learn your real history and know where are moving. U are moving to the real hell.

So come back to sanadhana dhrama...

Manu
02/12/2008 22:08:44     canonize sister seffi
How about Canonization of Sr.Sefi after her death? I think that will be more appropriate for the churches nasty conversion propaganda over poor Hindus rather than "Alphosamma".I request all the catholic priests in kerala to make a movement for that.We can call her something like "Vazhthappetta Seffiyamma" ...I think she had done more than that of what Alphonsa has done for the churches.I hope she will show more miracles in the future..
"Vazhthappetta seffiyamme njangalkku vendi prarthikkename"....
M Balachandran
02/12/2008 21:49:43     Church Game Plan
The Kottayam Church authorities continues their argument that the preists & Nun are catched by CBI with a fabricated murder story. It is a big game plan that in case court did not fully convince the guilty without doubt, with the benifit of doubt they will come out, then these church will success in their game. Also if court sentence them, there are possibilities that higher court may release them in the same benifit of doubt. Then also church will be correct. Even if the coming out of these accused didnot happen at all upto that time they could keep their believers in tac with this argument.
raj nair
02/12/2008 17:48:20     sister steffi
Make Sr. Steffi the prosecution "Maappu Sakshi", and that would make this circumstantial evidencial case against Poothrukka and Koottoor strong.