Young Woman Studying to be Nun Found Dead in Kerala Convent’s Well

A young woman in her novitiate in Kerala was found dead in a well on Thursday, 8 May. The shocking incident took place in Thiruvalla, Pathanamthitta district on Thursday afternoon.

A nun in her novitiate, 21-year-old Divya P Johny from Chungappara has been studying at the Basilian Sisters convent in Paliyekkara for the last five years.

She was found inside the well of the convent by other nuns after they heard a thud and a splash sound. Though Fire and Rescue Services personnel and police officials rushed her to the Pushpagiri Medical College Hospital, she was declared dead on arrival

“She was attending a spiritual class and the teacher asked her to write something and in the middle of the class she went out to write it. As per statements from other nuns, there were no issues. However, we have registered a case of unnatural death and inquest has been completed. The body was taken to Kottayam Medical College for post mortem,” Thiruvalla Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Umesh Kumar told TNM.

He refused to divulge further details, stating that the investigation has just begun.

As per reports, the well has a protective wall around it. The convent reportedly used motor pump to draw water.

In September 2018, a 54-year-old nun was found dead inside the well of a convent in Kollam district. Susan Mathew, from Mount Tabor convent, was a teacher at St Stephens School in Pathanapuram.

The postmortem report had revealed drowning as the cause of death. Presence of naphthalene balls was also found in her abdomen. She had self-inflicted injuries on her wrist. She belonged to the Malankara Syrian Orthodox church.

Similarly, in March 1992, 19-year-old Sister Abhaya was found dead in a well within the Pius X convent in Kottayam. At the time, the Crime Branch and local police closed the case as a suicide. However, in 1993, the case was reopened and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the case as murder.