THRISSUR: Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Monday confirmed that all necessary steps will be taken to repatriate the mortal remains of two Malayali women who were allegedly murdered in California, US. The deceased have been identified as Anjana Hari (35), a native of Mudikkode in Thrissur, and Ann Mary Mathew (40), a native of Kesavadasapuram in Thiruvananthapuram. The suspect, identified as their friend Anila (32), a native of Kottayam, is currently in US police custody.
All three families were residing together in an apartment in Milpitas, California. According to preliminary reports, the tragic incident occurred on Friday afternoon when Ann Mary was stabbed to death inside a room in the flat, after which Anjana was called downstairs and rammed by a car. Police recovered the blue SUV used to hit Anjana, who died on the spot. Following this, Ann Mary was found stabbed inside the apartment. At the time of the incident, Anjana’s husband Vijeesh and Ann’s husband Jacob were away at work, while Anjana’s six-year-old daughter Vamika was inside the flat. The close friends had recently celebrated Onam together. However, the exact motive behind the murder remains unclear.
Union Minister Suresh Gopi stated that he contacted the Consul General of India in San Francisco regarding the repatriation process after being informed of the tragedy by Vinod, a relative of Anjana. Although instructions have been given to funeral homes to process the required documentation, the US police have not yet released the bodies despite the completion of post-mortem procedures due to the ongoing homicide investigation. Further decisions regarding the release of the bodies will be taken by investigating officers by Monday afternoon (US time).
Suresh Gopi added that official updates will be formally communicated to NORKA, the Ministry of External Affairs, and the Ministry of Home Affairs once official clearance is obtained from US authorities. Anjana, daughter of Haridas and Sushama of Thekkoot house in Mudikkode, moved to the US in 2021. Ann Mary Mathew’s husband hails from Chingavanam in Kottayam. US police have launched a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
For more details: Navamalayalam.com