Police outside Father Kuriakose Kattuthara’s room at St. Mary’s church in Dasuya on Monday. (Express photo/ File)

Four days after Father Kuriakose Kattuthara was found dead in his room on the premises of St Paul School, Dasuya, he was laid to rest at his native place, Cherthala, in Kerala on Thursday. His family said that they will approach Kerala Police, supporting his statement against rape-accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal.

Jose Kurian, his younger brother who had told Punjab Police that the Father was harassed by the bishop and his men, said, “We will request the police to treat his statement seriously. Truth must not be scuttled.” About the statement given by his deceased brother, Kurian said he had given the statement under Section 161 of Indian Penal Code. “He had told the police that several nuns of Jalandhar diocese had approached him expressing their desire to leave the congregation (religious life) ever since Franco had become the bishop. My brother was not an eyewitness in nun rape case, but he was (among the) first ones to speak against Franco,” said he.

Chancellor of Diocese of Jalandhar Father Sebastian Pallasery, who is also the cousin of Father Kattuthara, said seven of their priests attended his last rites.

Kottayam DSP K Subhash said the deceased father’s statement was not directly related to the allegations levelled by the nun.

“Similar statements were also given by some other priests in Punjab and there were related to the general atmosphere in the Jalandhar diocese under Bishop Franco. Investigation is already going on,” he said, refusing to divulge the details.