Anupama, who challenged Catholic Church power dynamics in India, back with her family
Kottayam: Sister Anupama Kelamangalathuveliyil, who led the protests against previously rape-accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal, has renounced nunhood and taken up a job at a private firm in her native village Pallippuram in Alappuzha district.
It was the first time a group of nuns challenged the power dynamics within the Catholic Church in India.
Josy, Anupama's brother, told TOI that his sister left Missionaries of Jesus congregation two months ago. "She returned home two months ago," he said, adding that she preferred to stay away from the media glare for the moment. Besides Anupama, two other nuns, Sr Josephine and Sr Neena Rose, earlier left the convent, he added.
Anupama was earlier an inmate of St Francis Mission Home near Kuravilangad, Kottayam, along with five sisters. The convent functioned under the Latin Catholic diocese of Jalandhar with Mulakkal as its head. In 2018, a nun at the convent accused Mulakkal of raping her multiple times between 2014 and 2016. Anupama braved all odds to lead protests against the bishop in the alleged sexual abuse case. She was resolute in her support to the survivor despite pressure from various quarters to withdraw from her stand.
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On Sept 8, 2018, five nuns led by Anupama staged a sit-in protest at Kochi, demanding Mulakkal's arrest. All the nuns had earlier given statements against the bishop.
On Jan 1, 2019, the nuns threatened protests over the delay in posting a public prosecutor in the case, after which a public prosecutor was appointed. Anupama alleged tampering of cyber forensic evidence in the case on July 28, 2019. The nuns also survived the congregation's efforts to transfer them to various places.
They sought the chief minister's intervention and got a court stay on their transfer orders until the trial in the sexual abuse case concluded.
In 2022, an additional district and sessions court acquitted Mulakkal for lack of evidence in the case. Anupama decided to remain at the convent to continue her fight. She stayed at the same convent until two months ago when she decided to renounce nunhood and return to her family.
Presently, only three nuns, including the survivor, are staying at the convent. Meanwhile, police sources confirmed that Sr Josephine left the congregation in 2020, while Sr Neena Rose left in 2022. There is round-the-clock police protection, including male and women police personnel, for the remaining nuns at the convent.
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