Man confesses to killing Kerala nun, then denies

A "mentally deranged" man, who in a drunken state confessed to killing 69-year-old nun Sister Amala at a convent in Kerala, on Friday denied whatever he said a day earlier, according to police.

The nun was found lying in a pool of blood in her room, with a deep cut on her head on Thursday morning.

Police in Kottayam have formed eight teams to solve the nun's murder at a convent in Pala. The convent housed 38 inmates.

The post-mortem examination report said the nun was hit with a strong object.

Late on Thursday night, a 45-year-old man, who was in a drunken state of mind, was picked up by police in Mahe and confessed to the killing.

A police official, who is probing the murder case, told IANS that the person was "mentally deranged".

"What he said last night (Thursday) has been denied by him today (Friday). A team of our officials has already left for Mahe (about 300 km from Kottayam) to look into his revelation," said the official who did not wish to be identified.

A police team on Friday again took statements from the inmates of the convent where Sister Amala was staying.

An inmate told police that she found a man standing on the terrace close to midnight on Wednesday.

There were reports that last week another inmate was attacked by an unidentified person.

"We are looking into every aspect," a police official said.

Sister Amala's funeral will take place on Saturday.

Sister Amala, a retired nurse, was suffering from fever and was confined to her room, according to the convent authorities.

After other inmates did not see her during morning prayers, they went to her room and found her lying in a pool of blood.