Double Murder Case: Bodies of Malayali Women Killed in California Reach Keralam

Kochi: The bodies of two Malayali women who were killed in California, United States, were brought back to Keralam on Monday morning. The bodies arrived at Kochi International Airport around 10 am. The deceased have been identified as Anjana Hari (35) of Thekkoot, Mudikkode, Thrissur, and Ann Mary Mathew (40) of Kakkanad Lane, Kesavadasapuram, Thiruvananthapuram. Anila, a native of Moonnilavu in Kottayam and a friend of the two women, has been arrested in connection with the killings. After completing the procedures at the airport, the bodies were handed over to the relatives. The bodies were brought to Nedumbassery from San Francisco via Los Angeles and Dubai. The incident took place on August 28. Anila allegedly killed Anjana by hitting her with a car and stabbed Ann Mary to death. Anjana and Ann Mary, along with Anila, had previously lived in neighbouring apartments in Milpitas, California. The three were close friends and had actively participated in Onam celebrations before the incident and shared photographs of the events on social media. The bodies were brought home after postmortems, embalming and immigration procedures by the concerned foreign authorities were completed. Anjana's body was taken to her husband's residence in Vilangannur, Thrissur. After a public viewing, it will be taken to her residence in Pananchery. The funeral will be held at around 5 pm. Ann Mary's body was taken to Kottayam, her husband Jacob (Mithun)'s native place. The body will be kept at a private hospital mortuary. Her funeral will be held on Tuesday at St Ignatius Jacobite Church in Pallom, her husband's parish. Ann Mary is survived by her daughters Andreena (10) and Aleesa (5).