Nun ordered to leave country after 30 years serving lepers

A Catholic nun from Britain, who spent 30 years caring for lepers in Bangalore, has been ordered to leave the country for apparently no reason.

Sister Jacqueline Jean McEwan was denied extension of her resident permit by the Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Bangalore.

The nun who hails from Newcastle is part of the Montfort Missionaries.

Sr Jean has been working among leprosy patients at the Sumanahalli Leprosy Rehabilitation Centre since 1982.

She told media that the central government denied the extension of the permit without assigning any reason.

"I don't know the reason. I've been living with the poor and needy all these years. I have to leave on Monday," Sunday Times quoted her saying.

She said she was leaving with a "heavy heart" and that it was a loss to thousands of patients inflicted by leprosy.

Fr George Kannanthanam, Director of the Sumanahalli Society, said the organisation has re-sent the visa renewal application and was hoping for its approval.

"Without her, we doubt Sumanahalli will be the same again. I'm really upset and don't know what to do," said Fr Kannathanam.

Established in 1978, Sumanahalli Society has served more than 5,000 leprosy patients besides the poor schoolchildren, AIDS-affected, destitute and disabled persons.

The society has won about 11 national and 6 state awards for its outstanding service. In fact, the society's educational programmes and adult literacy courses has reached over 3 million in South India.

On Saturday, patients and members of the society held a farewell meeting for Sr. Jean, who is better known as the Mother Teresa of Sumanahalli. Sr Jean worked mostly with leprosy patients in slums at Seshadripuram, Indirapuram and Chikkanayanakanahalli.