• January 13, 2023

Inquest begins into deaths of Anju, Jeeva and Janvi: Bodies to be flown to Kerala today: Funeral tomorrow in Kerala

LONDON Jan 13: Inquest has begun into the deaths of Keralite nurse Anju Ashok, her six-year-old son Jeeva Saju and four-year-old daughter Janvi Saju who died after being found with serious injuries at a flat in Petherton Court on December 15.

At the hearing at Northampton Coroner’s Court, Anne Pember, senior coroner for Northamptonshire, said: ‘I now open the inquest touching upon the death of Anju Ashok, who died at Petherton Court, Kettering, on December 15 last year.

‘I have a provisional cause of death from Dr Hamilton as asphyxia, pending further tests. I adjourn this inquest until July 6 2023.’

During the hearing, which lasted less than 10 minutes, Mrs Pember confirmed the two children died at Kettering General Hospital and that their provisional causes of death had been noted as strangulation, pending further tests.

Saju Chelavalel, 52, was arrested and charged with three counts of murder on December 17, after the three victims were found at his address.

He appeared at Northampton Crown Court on December 21 and was remanded in custody until a plea hearing on March 24.

With the clearance from the coroner, the bodies of Anju and he children can now be taken to Kerala.

The bodies will be airlifted to their home in Kerala today (Friday) and will reach their homin in Vaikkom in Kerala tomorrow (Saturday). The bodies will be flown on an Emirates flight departing from Manchester on Friday and reaching Kerala on Saturday for the funeral rites.

The bodies of Anju and her two children were laid to the public to pay their last respects at the Salvation Army Community Hall in Rockingham Road Kettering NN16 8JU on Saturday 7th January 2023.

Jeeva and Janvi were pupils at Kettering Park Infant Academy in Park Avenue.

Anju worked as a nurse on an orthopaedic ward since joining in 2021 in Kettering General Hospital

High Commission in London has confirmed that they will meet the full costs for repatriating the bodies. However, our sources suggest that several community organisations across the UK are raising funds that will eventually go to the deceased’s family who are said to be living in an impoverished situation back in Kerala.

In the face of this unbelievable tragedy, it has been humbling to notice the coming together of the Keralite community in the UK, to support the bereaved family in Kerala and which deserves a mention as an acknowledgement of the empathy and kindness that is inspiring a mass effort to help get Anju and her children home fast, for one final time.