A nun was found dead at Vazhakkala in Ernakulam on Sunday night. Sr Juseena Thomas, 45,  who resided at St Thomas convent Vazhakkala was found dead in a pond near an abandoned quarry. The nun was missing since Sunday afternoon.

Other members of the convent had noticed that Sr Juseena had gone missing when one of them went to her room to call her for lunch. They then informed the police that the nun was missing. By Sunday evening, the nun’s body was found in a pond near the quarry, situated close to the convent. The body was then shifted to Government Medical College Hospital, Kalamassery.

Police said that the reason for death can be confirmed only after the postmortem. The convent authorities informed the police that Sr Juseena was depressed. However, her relatives denied the claim.

"In the morning she was sick and she did not come to church with us. She also did not have breakfast with us and she was in her room. When we went to call sister for lunch she was missing. Though we searched everywhere she was not there. Following which we called her residence,we found out that she was not there as well. So we informed police," a member of the convent told the media on Monday.

Sr Juseena was staying in the convent for the last three years. According to reports, at least 20 nuns have been found dead in wells across convents in Kerala since 1989. This includes the sensational Sr Abhaya murder case.

In May 2020, 21-year-old  Divya P Johnny, studying to become a nun, was found dead in a well at her convent in Thiruvalla.

In September 2018, another nun from Pathanapuram was found dead in the well near her convent. Fifty-five-year-old Sr Susan Mathew was a teacher at St Stephen school, Pathanapuram.