Bodies of Two Malayali Women Killed in California Returned to Kochi for Last Rites

Kochi, September 21 (Daily Kiran) : The bodies of two Malayali women, Anjana and Ain Mary Mathew, who were allegedly murdered by a close friend in California last month, were brought back to Kochi on Monday. Their relatives are now making arrangements for the funeral amidst an atmosphere of profound grief. The remains arrived at Cochin International Airport after traveling from San Francisco to Los Angeles and then to Dubai.After completing the necessary formalities, the bodies were handed over to the family. Ain Mary Mathew, who hailed from Keshavadasapuram in Thiruvananthapuram, was taken to her husband's home in Kottayam. A close relative mentioned that her body would be brought to their parish church on Tuesday for the final rites. Anjana's body, from Thrissur, was first taken to her ancestral home in Pechi, where a large gathering of people paid their respects. Many mourners approached the body to offer their condolences.Later, the body will be taken to the family home, where the local parish funeral is expected to take place on Tuesday. Union Minister of State for Tourism Suresh Gopi has been closely monitoring the arrangements for repatriating the bodies to Kerala since the tragic murders occurred on August 28. The California police have arrested Anila, a close friend of the victims, in connection with the killings. Investigators say Anila went to Ain Mary’s home in San Jose and allegedly stabbed her to death.About an hour and a half later, she reportedly called Anjana and lured her to a location, where Anjana died in a car accident. Anila was apprehended shortly after the murders and is currently held in the high-security section of the Santa Clara County Main Jail. The Milpitas police are still investigating the motives behind the killings of these two close friends, which have shocked the Malayali community in both California and Kerala. The return of the bodies on Monday deepened the sorrow surrounding this tragic incident, as family and friends gathered to bid farewell to the young women.Authorities in the U.S. continue their investigation to uncover the circumstances and motives behind the murders.