By Matters India Reporter
Kochi, July 1, 2026: A Catholic nun has died tragically after falling from a moving bus in Kerala.
Sister Heicelet Puthet, a member of the Sisters of the Destitute’s St. Vincent Province, met with the accident at 8:30 a.m. on June 30 near Kozhikode Government LP School on Pothanikkad Road at Kothamangalam in Ernakulam district.
The 56-year-old retired schoolteacher accidentally fell through the open door onto the road as the bus negotiated a bend. She was seriously injured after hitting her head on the road.
The bus staff and others rushed her to the hospital in Kothamangalam. She was later shifted to Rajagiri Hospital in Angamaly, some 35 km northwest, for further specialist treatment. However, she died while undergoing treatment.
Her funeral is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on July 2 at the congregation’s provincial house in Kozhikode. The congregation and Sister Puthet’s family have expressed their grief over her death.
Initial reports suggested that the accident was caused by the negligence of the bus staff.
Catholic Connect news service quoted the congregation as saying that Sister Puthet was on her way to the Nirmala Centre for Educational, Spiritual and Theological Training (NESTT), the Kothamangalam diocesan pastoral center, to conduct a class.
Sister Puthet was a native of Rajapuram village in Idukki district. She was reportedly a widely respected and dedicated Malayalam teacher. She is remembered for her commitment to education, compassionate service, and close involvement with the local community.
Sister Puthet was credited with helping many students progress in life.
She had a large circle of friends and helped ordinary people spiritually while sharing in their hardships.