Seminary rector died of chest injuries

Both his lungs were punctured and collapsed as a result of the wounds inflicted.

Kochi:  A Catholic priest found bludgeoned to death in a seminary in southern India died of injuries to his chest and lungs, autopsy reports show.

Father K. J. Thomas, rector of St. Peter's seminary, died "due to shock and hemorrhage as a result of blunt injuries to the chest" he sustained, said the post mortem report.

The report shows that the priest suffered fracture on ten ribs, five on each side. Both the lungs were punctured and collapsed as a result of the wounds inflicted, the report said.

Other injuries include a fracture of the skull bone, nasal bone, a punctured wound on the right side of the mouth and an inward fracture of the spine at the level of the third vertebra.

"It clearly shows that he was beaten to death with a crude object," a family member said adding that police had recovered a bloodstained iron bar from the place of attack.

Multiple bruises were present on the back of right and left side of the chest. The report also says that there were many open wounds present on the left fore arm, outer aspect of right thigh and back of the left knee.

There was evidence of lacerations on forehead, left eye, nose, right side of upper lip, inner aspect of lower lip and scalp.

Four months after the incident, the police are yet to make any arrest in connection with the incident. The priest's body was found in a pool of blood just out side his bedroom on April 1.

The police have some clues. "A lot of clues in fact, but we cannot build up a story on them, unless we have solid proof which will stand in a court of law," a senior police official told ucanews.com Aug. 27.

The police could not establish the motive behind the murder. In July they subjected a priest, who lived next door to the victim, to a nacro test-- a form of questioning where the subject is placed into a chemically induced hypnotic state.

"It is a highly complicated case…we cannot establish a motive behind it. I have never come across such a case in my professional life," said an officer investigating the case.