'Came to express gratitude'; Kerala nuns visit BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar in Thiruvananthapuram

NEW DELHI: The Malayali nuns, arrested and later released on bail on charges of forced conversion and human trafficking in Chhattisgarh, visited BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Saturday. The meeting was held at Rajeev Chandrasekhar's residence in Delhi. Sister Preeti Mary and Sister Vandana Francis arrived with their brother at the BJP chief’s residence in Thiruvananthapuram’s Kowdiar. They were accompanied by BJP state general secretary Anoop Antony.

After the meeting, Rajeev Chandrasekhar talked to the media and said that the nuns visited him to express gratitude for the efforts of the BJP leadership to ensure their immediate release from prison.

Sister Vandana Francis, a native of Thalassery, and Sister Preethi Mary, a native of Angamaly, members of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate of Assisi, were arrested on July 25. The nuns, who work at Fatima Hospital in Agra, were arrested when they arrived at Durg railway station to pick up three native girls for domestic work. The brother of one of the girls had also arrived at the station.

Bajrang Dal activists stopped the nuns and informed the police, alleging forced conversion and human trafficking. A case was registered against the nuns on charges of human trafficking and conversion. The nuns were then remanded in judicial custody and lodged in Durg jail. The two were released from Durg jail on August 2, nine days after their arrest.