Kerala women killed in US
Two women from Kerala have died in separate incidents in California, with their common friend arrested in connection with the deaths. The victims have been identified as Anjana Hari, 35, and Ann Mary Mathew, 40. The deaths are being investigated as homicides, while the exact motive remains unclear.
The tragedy has shocked the Malayali community because the three women had reportedly spent time together just a day before the deaths. According to relatives, they attended an Onam celebration together and later went to a theatre to watch a film. All three were reportedly living with their families in the same apartment complex in Milpitas, California.
Anjana Hari was originally from Thrissur in Kerala. She moved to the United States in 2021 and worked as a schoolteacher in California. She is survived by her husband, Vijeesh, a software engineer, and their six-year-old daughter.
Ann Mary Mathew was from Kesavadasapuram in Thiruvananthapuram and worked as a computer teacher at a school in the US. She was married to Jacob and had two daughters.
According to reports citing relatives and local sources, Anjana was found dead in the parking area of an apartment complex in Milpitas on August 28 after being struck by a vehicle. Later that day, Ann Mary’s body was found inside her residence in nearby San Jose. Reports said she had suffered stab wounds.
Police have arrested Anila, a 32-year-old woman from Kerala’s Kottayam, in connection with the deaths. She was reportedly a friend of both victims and lived in the same apartment complex.
The motive behind the killings has not yet been officially established. Some reports have raised the possibility of a dispute connected to employment, but investigators have not confirmed that as the cause. Any such explanation therefore remains unverified at this stage.
Union Minister Suresh Gopi has confirmed the deaths and said efforts are underway to bring the women’s bodies back to Kerala.
Gopi said he has been in regular contact with the Indian Consul General in San Francisco. According to him, the bodies are expected to be handed over to registered funeral homes after the autopsies are completed, following which arrangements will be made in consultation with the families to repatriate them to India.
The deaths have deeply shaken Kerala and the Malayali community in the United States, particularly because the three women had reportedly celebrated Onam and watched a movie together just one day before the tragedy.
Investigators are now trying to establish the sequence of events, the relationship between the two deaths and the motive behind the alleged killings. Until the investigation produces formal findings, the reason for the deaths remains uncertain.
© Copyright 2026, cloudTV. All Rights Reserved
