Waiting Three Decades for Justice: The Sister Abhaya Murder Case

Words by Priyan Majumdar

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Waiting Three Decades for Justice: The Sister Abhaya Murder Case by Priyan Majumdar

On 27 March 1992 Sister Abhaya, a pre-degree student in college run by the Knanaya Catholic Church, was found dead in the water well of her convent hostel in Kottayam, Kerala. Despite all evidence pointing to a homicide, her case was closed mere months later and her death was ruled a suicide.

After numerous convoluted and unsatisfactory investigations tainted by bitter rivalries, corruption and bias, justice was finally delivered to Sister Abhaya 28 years after her murder. A story of twists and turns, missing gaps and loose ends- this is how the death of a Catholic nun became the longest running murder investigation in Kerala.