World | India
Abhaya's murder probe casts shadow on Sunday mass
The arrest of two priests and a nun and questioning of a retired bishop over a death 16 years ago cast a shadow over Sunday mass in Kerala's churches on Sunday.
- IANS
- Published: 00:04 November 24, 2008
Kottayam, Kerala: The arrest of two priests and a nun and questioning of a retired bishop over a death 16 years ago cast a shadow over Sunday mass in Kerala's churches on Sunday.
At the 50-odd churches run by the Knanaya Catholic church, a "pastoral letter" was read out asking parishoners to pray for the two priests and the nun arrested last week by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) allegedly in connection with the death of Sister Abhaya who had belonged to the church.
Abhaya, a resident of Pious X Hostel near here, was found dead in the well of the convent on March 27, 1992. The church was shattered after the CBI on Saturday questioned former bishop Kuriakose Kunnasery for two hours to elicit details in the case.
Kunnasery, who is now past 80 years and retired, was the bishop of the diocese when the alleged murder took place.
The letter from the church states that the accused should be treated as innocent till proved otherwise. "It was we the church that first requested a detailed probe over the death of Abhaya and we now request that the ongoing probe should be transparent and a clean one," the letter stated.
"All the accused should be revealed and we will not take any sides because the truth has to come out."
The 200,000-strong Knanaya Church is attached to the Catholic Church.
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