In Kerala, Sister Anupama, who had led the protests of nuns against powerful and influential Bishop Franco of the Syro Malabar Church, has renounced nunhood, as per reports.
Sister Anupama Kelamangalathuveliyil, one of the six nuns who came out and protested against Bishop Franco for his alleged sexual exploitations and pressure tactics, has left the nunhood and returned to live with her family in Alappuzha. In 2018, Anupama and four other nuns of the Missionaries of Jesus Convent in Kottayam, Kerala, had stood strong with the victim, who had accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal of prolonged sexual abuse and rape. Anupama is presently working as a data entry operator for an IT firm, as per reports.
Despite pressure from the Church, Anupama and her fellow sister nuns had stood firm with the victim nun. It was because of their protests that Franco was arrested three months after the victim’s FIR. This was the first time a group of nuns had challenged the higher authority of the Catholic Church in India.
In 2022, a trial court in Kottayam had acquitted Franco. However, the victim nun and others, including sister Anupama, had declared that the fight for justice will continue. The victim’s plea challenging the Kottayam court’s verdict is pending before the Kerala High Court.
