The father of a law student in Kerala, who was allegedly raped and murdered near her home in Perumbavoor in April 2016, was found dead on Thursday, The Times of India reported.

Paappu’s relatives told the police that he had been ill for a few months. They said he collapsed around 100 metres from his house in Cherukunnam, near Kochi, on Thursday. The police have filed a case of unnatural death, the Deccan Chronicle reported.

“His relatives alerted us after he collapsed, but by the time a policeman reached the spot, he had already died,” The Times of India quoted Kuruppampady Police Sub-inspector Sunil Thomas as saying.

Paappu was one of the witnesses examined by the Ernakulam Principal Additional Sessions Court in the case. A witness list of 30 individuals includes the name of former Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, according to The Times of India.

His death comes as the final hearing of the rape and murder case of the 29-year-old woman begins. The trial court has completed cross examining the accused, Ameerul Islam.

Three months ago, another witness in the case, one Sabu Mathai, was also found dead in his home.

The 29-year-old law student, was found dead near her house on April 28, 2016. The autopsy report showed she was tortured with a sharp instrument. The final report also confirmed that her attackers tried to rape her. Her body had more than 30 wounds. The police had cordoned off her house and declared it a crime scene only a week after the murder.

The state and the police were accused of poorly handling the case, which caused massive outrage and protests in the days that followed the woman’s death.

The law student’s mother had alleged that her daughter had complained to the police for more than a year about being harassed, but her complaints were ignored.