Police yet to ascertain cause of priest's death

Two days after investigation, police are yet to ascertain the circumstances that led to the mysterious death of Fr James Mukalel whose body was found roadside in Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district.

The 39-year-old Catholic priest's body was found naked on Thursday, which parish people say transpired while the priest was returning to Kutrupady near Belthangady after attending a funeral.

With investigation into the case in full swing, police say it is yet to ascertain if it was a murder. Also as there are no injuries on the body, they say the death could not have been caused by a road accident.

"We have registered a case of unnatural death … as the body did not bear external wounds or signs of attack," Daksihna Kannada Superintendent of Police A.S. Rao told IANS.

"Though the autopsy has been completed by two government doctors in the presence of two forensic experts, we are waiting for the report to ascertain whether the cause of death is natural or homicide," he added.

It surely would be a tricky case for the coastal district police who have no witnesses, not even a pillion rider who could have testified the events that led to the priest's death. There have been no detentions so far in the case.

So what might have been the cause of the death? A Christian advocacy group in the state says it suspects an extremist hand.

Sajan George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), feels the "brutal murder" might have something to do with the September violence on churches in Mangalore.

During that month of violence, right-wing Hindu groups carried assaults on churches and prayer halls. At least 20 Christian worship places were attacked in the violent crime spree in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada.

Meanwhile, the family of the deceased priest has called for another post-mortem to ascertain the cause of the death.

According to a source, the body will be taken to Government Medical College at Kozhikode for another post-mortem. The family and relatives suspect something is amiss.

Fr James hails from Kannur district in Kerala and was the priest at St Mary's Church near Kutrapady in Puttur taluk.