Suresh Gopi promises steps to repatriate remains of Keralam women killed in the U.S.

Indian authorities have begun arrangements to return the remains of two women from Keralam who were allegedly killed in California, Union Minister Suresh Gopi said. The victims were identified by relatives as Anjana, from Mudikkode in Thrissur, and Ann Mathew, from Kesavadasapuram in Thiruvananthapuram.

Relatives said the women lived in the same apartment with their families. They identified the suspect as Anila, a Kottayam native and friend of the two women, and said she was in U.S. police custody.

Vinod, a relative of Anjana, said her family first received calls saying she had suffered a serious accident and was in hospital. They later learned that she had died. He said Anila allegedly stabbed Ann in the apartment and later rammed a car into Anjana. The families knew Ann through video calls but did not personally know Anila.

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I spoke with the Consul General at the Consulate located in San Francisco, which has jurisdiction over California, this morning at 7.25 am. According to what he informed me, orders have been issued to the funeral homes handling funeral services to proceed with all the required documentation to send the mortal remains to their home country.

Anjana moved to the United States in 2021 and is survived by her husband, Vijeesh, and their six-year-old daughter. Vinod said Vijeesh remained in shock while caring for the child and had not yet been able to provide complete information.

Gopi said the deaths had officially been confirmed as homicides, but the motives and detailed investigative findings would become clear only after U.S. authorities sent formal reports to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs and NORKA. He said he spoke with the consul general in San Francisco, whose office has jurisdiction over California, and that funeral homes had been instructed to complete the documentation required to send the remains to India.

The timing of the repatriation remains uncertain because authorities may retain the remains for further investigation. Gopi said he expected an update from the consulate later in the day.

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I am expecting an update from the Consulate later this day. Only after that will we know when the mortal remains can be brought or dispatched from there.