Daijiworld Media Network - Kochi

Kochi, Sep 21: The bodies of two Malayali women, Anjana and Ann Mary Mathew, who were allegedly murdered by a close friend in California last month, were brought to Kochi on Monday as relatives made arrangements for their funerals amid an outpouring of grief.

The bodies arrived at Cochin International Airport in Nedumbassery in the morning on a flight from San Francisco via Los Angeles and Dubai.

After the completion of official procedures, the bodies were handed over to the relatives.

The body of Ann Mary Mathew, a native of Kesavadasapuram in Thiruvananthapuram, was taken to her husband’s home in Kottayam.

A close relative told IANS that the body would be taken to her parish church on Tuesday morning, where the final rites will be held.

The body of Anjana, a native of Thrissur, was first taken to her ancestral home at Peechi.

A large number of people gathered at the house to pay their last respects, with many filing past the body.

The body will later be taken to the family home, with the funeral expected to be held at the local parish on Tuesday.

Union Minister of State for Tourism Suresh Gopi had been closely monitoring arrangements for bringing the bodies back to Kerala from the US since the killings last month.

The two women were killed in a double murder in California on August 28.

Anila, a native of Erattupetta in Kottayam and a close friend of both victims, has been arrested by California police in connection with the killings.

According to investigators, Anila went to Ann Mary’s home in San Jose and allegedly stabbed her to death.

Around one-and-a-half hours later, she allegedly called Anjana and asked her to come to a location.

Police said Anjana was subsequently killed after being struck by a vehicle.

Anila was arrested soon after the killings and is currently being held in the high-security section of the Santa Clara County Main Jail.

The motive behind the killings of the two women, who were close friends, is still being investigated by Milpitas police.

The murders had sent shock waves through the Malayali community in California and Kerala.

The return of the bodies on Monday brought the tragedy closer to home, with relatives and friends gathering at the two families’ residences to bid farewell to the women.

The investigation by US authorities is continuing to establish the circumstances and motive behind the killings.