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Indian nun's body found in Tamil Nadu well

No foul play suspected in the death of 25-year-old Sister Kausalya Rajendren
Indian nun's body found in Tamil Nadu well

Sister Kausalya Rajendren was studying for a degree in mathematics. (Photo supplied)

Published: February 18, 2022 10:04 AM GMT

The body of a Catholic nun was recovered from a well in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, a day after she accidentally fell into the well close to her convent.

The deceased was a member of the Eastern Province of the Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo, an international religious congregation of Catholic women working in India and abroad.

The congregation has ruled out any foul play in the death of 25-year-old Sister Kausalya Rajendren.

Firefighters recovered her body from a 30-meter-deep open well close to St. Charles Arts and Science College in Eraiyur in Kallakurichi district where she was doing her bachelor of science degree in mathematics. The college is run by her congregation.

“The deceased took her first profession close to three years back. She was very studious and eager to do her higher studies in mathematics and therefore she was admitted to our college this year,” said provincial Sister Amali Anbarasi.

Sister Rajendren attended college on Feb. 16 and later returned to the convent 800 meters away.

We completed all the legal formalities and buried her body in the congregation cemetery in Ammoor village. Her father and other relatives attended the funeral

“On her return, she went to wash clothes and met a two-and-half-year-old boy of the neighbors who was sitting in a makeshift tent in the field just inside the boundary of the convent’s land,” Sister Anbarasi told UCA News on Feb. 18.

The young nun offered a sweet to the boy, with whom she was friendly, before accidentally falling into the well as she returned to her convent.

The child’s grandparents sensed something was wrong when the child kept looking at the well.

“They had seen the nun there with the child but when he was showing some unusual signs of going towards the well, they went there and found the slipper of the nun floating on the water,” Sister Anbarasi said.

The grandparents alerted the convent and their neighbors, who also informed the police and fire service.

On Feb. 17, firemen fished out her body from a corner of the well. It was taken for a post-mortem examination at the nearest government hospital.

“We completed all the legal formalities and buried her body in the congregation cemetery in Ammoor village,” Sister Anbarasi said. “Her father and other relatives attended the funeral.”

The cause of her death will be revealed by the autopsy report.

Whenever such incidents happen in the Indian Church, they are usually suspected to be suicide or murder, but this case has not raised any such suspicions.

India has recorded nearly 20 suspected suicides since 1987 involving novices and sisters serving in Catholic religious communities, mostly in the southern state of Kerala.

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4 Comments on this Story
JOHN PAUL
NO FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED??????? There is also another version in the death of a young nun. you have displayed the words of the congregation Sisters. what about her parents and others??? do you favor the congregation or the church??? do not simply put no foul.... go for deeper investigation... she is also a nun from poor family and Dalit Based community... please stand for the truth as our lord and master did....
AUGUSTA KAREN DSOUZA
No foil play??? How is it that so many nuns are falling in wells? The only way out is to seal all wells. This nun appeared to have a good future and was very intelligent to pursue Mathematics. The saddest part is that ironically all these nuns who have fallen into wells come from a poor financial background so the parents cannot afford to pursue the case.
AUGUSTA KAREN DSOUZA
No foil play??? How is it that so many nuns are falling in wells? The only way out is to seal all wells. This nun appeared to have a good future and was very intelligent to pursue Mathematics. The saddest part is that ironically all these nuns who have fallen into wells come from a poor financial background so the parents cannot afford to pursue the case.
AUGUSTA KAREN DSOUZA
No foil play??? How is it that so many nuns are falling in wells? The only way out is to seal all wells. This nun appeared to have a good future and was very intelligent to pursue Mathematics. The saddest part is that ironically all these nuns who have fallen into wells come from a poor financial background so the parents cannot afford to pursue the case.
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