Kerala nun murder: Suspect had killed another nun this year, says police

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According to police, Babu has confessed that he killed another nun Jose Maria (83) in April. Maria, a member of Sacred Heart Convent near Erattupetta, was found injured in the wee hours of April 17. Convent sources said that night they heard cries from Maria’s room. On reaching there, they found her with head injuries. As there were no signs of theft, other nuns thought Maria, who had high blood pressure, fell and sustained the injury. Maria died the next morning.

Police sources said Babu had confessed that he went to the convent that night for burglary. When he saw Maria was awake, he feared she could identify him later. He hit her on the head with a blunt object and fled.

According to police, Babu sneaked into the same convent a week later. This time, he stole Rs 70,000 from the room of a nun. Babu has said he saw Maria’s photo at the convent that night and came to know that she died, said police. Convent authorities complained to the local police about the theft, but the probe did not move forward.

Sources said they have identified half a dozen attacks on convents in Kottayam, which were allegedly executed by Babu, a native of Kasaragod. “Convents were his target. He reckoned nuns as weak. Most convents have large compounds and house only a few inmates. Babu use this to his advantage,” they said.

Police said Babu would inspect the premises in the day. Late in the evening, he would board a bus to reach the target convent. He would sneak in through some door or gate. After carrying out the theft in wee hours, he would flee and board a bus back, said police.

Police said Babu had pilfered money and cellphones from several convents, but was never caught. “He attacked nuns whenever he feared they could identify him. A week before Amala was murdered, Babu attacked another aged nun. She suffered from Alzheimer’s and could not recall how she sustained a head injury. Convent authorities, too, thought she was injured in a fall. After Amala’s murder, they lodged a complaint,” police said.

Sources said Babu, a Class X dropout, had links with supari gangs and had carried out attacks for them. He also faced a case of attacking his wife, who later divorced him.