Angeline Nirmala Reena took the extreme step on March 30 and informed the fellow nuns that she had consumed pesticide and fell unconscious while having breakfast.
The 26-year-old nun was taken to a private hospital at R S Puram where she was given first aid. She was transferred to St Maris Hospital at Podanur for further treatment. She died at the hospital. The body was sent to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) for post-mortem.
However, the relatives of the deceased refused to accept her body after postmortem, alleging that she was tortured by church authorities.
On Sunday morning, her relatives blocked the ambulance in which the body was being transported by the church authorities to Puliyakulam burial ground.
They demanded action against church authorities and nuns for the death.
They also demanded the appearance of the bishop in person at the CMCH to explain what had happened to the nun.
Alish Reta Mary, mother of the deceased, said her daughter took the extreme step after she was tortured mentally.
A Charles Irudhayaraj, brother of the deceased said her sister was studying BA (English literature) final year at Nirmala College for Women at Race Course.
“She was tortured by a nun. When she lodged a complaint about this with the authorities, they failed to take necessary action. She could not bear the torture and took the extreme step," he alleged.
Seven nuns, who were present at the CMCH refused to talk to the media. Police pacified the relatives and later the body was sent to the burial ground.
"We are interrogating a few nuns and church authorities. We will be able to ascertain the reason for her death only after a detailed investigation," said a police official of the R S Puram police station.
Sr. Reena became a nun in 2004 and devoted her life to the Roman Catholic Church, police said.
She was staying on the campus of St John De Britto Church situated on Lawley Road, along with other nuns, for the past four months.
Source: times of india
