21-year-old novice found hanging at Kothamangalam convent

Anu Alex
Anu Alex was training to be a Catholic nun.

Kothamangalam: A 21-year-old aspiring nun was found dead in her room at her novitiate at Kozhippilly in Kothamangalam in Kerala's Ernakulam district.

The deceased was identified as Annu Alex, daughter of Alexander and Lelamma of Velliyamattom, Thodupuzha. The incident took place on Friday night. At 11 pm when the inmates of the convent did not find her in the chapel for the night prayer, they went to her room. They found her hanging from a ceiling fan.

Though Annu was immediately rushed to the hospital, she was declared dead on arrival.

The local police said a suicide note was found in the room in which Annu stated no one was responsible for her death and apologised to everyone.

According to police, the autopsy did not reveal any internal or external injury. The preliminary conclusion is that she died of hanging.

Meanwhile, the authorities of Sacred Heart Jyothi Province said that immediately after the incident they gave first aid and tried to revive Annu. Though she was rushed to the hospital, her life could not be saved.

(Sacred Heart Jyothi Province is a wing of the larger Sacred Heart Congregation.)

The reason behind the suicide is not clear as Annu was very active at the convent and used to take part in all activities enthusiastically, the novitiate authorities added.

Annu's funeral was held soon after the postmortem.

Apart from her parents, Annu leaves behind her brother, Lijo.

Novitiate

The novitiate is the period of training and preparation that a Christian novice or prospective monastic, apostolic, or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking the vows of religious life. The term novitiate also refers to the building, house, or complex where novices stay or study.

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