One held in nun murder case in Kerala

Trivandrum - Police have identified the person as Nassar, who said that he had come to Mahe, which is part of the union territory of Pondicherry, after committing a murder in Kerala.

By T K Devasia

Published: Sat 19 Sep 2015, 12:00 AM

Last updated: Sat 19 Sep 2015, 11:05 AM

A man from the central Kerala district of Kottayam, who is suspected to be mentally deranged, has claimed responsibility for the murder of Catholic nun Amala at Lisieux Carmalate Convent at Pala on Thursday.
Police have identified the person as Nassar, who said that he had come to Mahe, which is part of the union territory of Pondicherry, after committing a murder in Kerala. He made the revelation after he was taken into custody by Mahe police for creating nuisance in an inebriated condition.
During questioning, Nasar admitted to committing a murder in Kottayam. Mahe Police then contacted Kottayam Police as they suspected Nasar was talking about Sister Amala's death. The Kottayam police have confirmed Nassar's identity and initiated steps to bring him to Pala.
Reports from Mahe said that the police had found contradictions in the statements given by Nassar. The arrested person, who had insisted that he had murdered the 69-year-old nun on Friday night, changed his version when he was subjected to detailed interrogation on Saturday.
The reports said that the man had told the police that he had murdered an auto rickshaw driver and not the nun, who hailed from Ramapuram in Kottayam district.
Her body was found in her room by her convent mates who searched for her as she was absent for the morning mass. Police had found three wounds on her head, including one deep wound on the back of her head.
Meanwhile, convent head Mother Alex Maria said that an unidentified man was found standing on the terrace of the convent building on the night of the incident by a nun.
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She said that the nun had brought it to her notice only the next day morning.
Pala Deputy Superintendent of Police Suneesh Babu, who is investigating the case, said that they had found that another nun in the convent had sustained on her head a couple of days before the incident. The attack was on a 72 -year-old nun while she was asleep.
The investigating team suspect that Sister Amala must have been murdered by assailants who must have come from outside. The lock of the entrance grill was found broken. The investigating team also found Rs500 stolen from the room of another nun at the convent.
The police have obtained a fingerprint from the door in the room, in which Sr. Amala had slept. The police had on Thursday discovered footmarks, which suggested someone climbed up though the pipe.