TIRUVALLA: A 21-year-old novitiate was found dead in a well at a convent at Paliyekkara here under mysterious circumstances on Thursday. Divya P John, daughter of John Philipose and Kochumol of Thadathemalayil house at Chunkappara near Mallappally, was a fifth-year novitiate undergoing training to become a nun at Baselian Convent of the Malankara Syrian Catholic Church.
The police registered a case of unnatural death and launched an investigation. The body has been shifted to the Kottayam MCH for a detailed autopsy. The police said they reached the convent around 12.30 pm after being informed about the incident by the convent.
“A splash sound was heard near the well around noon. A few inmates looked inside and saw Divya drowning. The convent informed the police and Fire and Rescue Services whose personnel arrived soon and lifted her out of the well.
Though she was rushed to Pushpagiri Medical College Hospital, she was declared dead on arrival,” an officer said. A team headed by Tiruvalla DySp Umesh Kumar sealed Divya’s room in the convent and collected details about the sequence of events from other inmates. After preliminary investigation, the police suspect that she might have committed suicide or accidentally fell into the well while trying to draw water.