Sister Anupama has renounced nunhood
Sister Anupama, a key figure that spearheaded the movement against rape accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal, has left the convent and reunite with her family in Alappuzha, Kerala.
The rape incident came to light in 2018, when the six nuns, at the Missionaries of Jesus convent in Kottayam, levelled allegations against the priest of raping a fellow nun multiple times between 2014 to 2016.
However, even after registering a case against the priest, who was then head of the Latin Catholic Diocese of Jalandhar, he was not arrested.
Sister Anupama and the five nuns fought bravely against Bishop Franco Mulakkal and stood like a pillar with the rape victim despite facing immense pressure from the Catholic church. They launched a sit-in protest in Kochi and demanded the priest’s immediate arrest.
The nuns’ courage and persistence challenged the powerful Catholic Church of India, finally leading to the his apprehending under wrongful confinement, rape, unnatural sex and criminal intimidation.
In 2019, four of the six nuns were issued transfer orders by the church. They sought Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s intervention and refused to leave the convent, becoming the rape victim’s strongest allies and emotional anchors.
However, in a shocking 2022 judgment, the Additional District and Sessions Court I in Kottayam acquitted Bishop Franco Mulakkal, causing an uproar in Kerala. At that time, sister Anupama told the media, “We will continue the fight until our sister gets justice. Even if we have to die, we will keep up the fight. Bishop Franco is a man with both money and muscle power.”
Currently, the case is pending in the Kerala High Court.
This post was last modified on May 26, 2025 5:48 pm