{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "Tragic Murders of Two Indian Women in California Following Onam Celebration Shock Families in Kerala and US",
  "summary": "Two women from Kerala were killed in California under mysterious circumstances just a day after celebrating Onam together, with their mutual friend arrested in connection with the crime.",
  "content": "A brutal and mysterious tragedy in California has sent shockwaves through immigrant communities and families across the United States and Kerala, claiming the lives of two women who had celebrated a traditional festival together just a day prior. The chilling sequence of events has left investigators probing how a cheerful gathering of three friends culminated in a horrific double fatality and a murder arrest.\n\nFrom Onam Festivities to a Chilling Crime Scene\nAccording to grieving relatives and close acquaintances, the three women knew each other well and spent the day before the August 28 incident together. They joyfully celebrated the Onam festival and later went to watch a movie at a local theatre. None of them could have possibly anticipated that within hours, this social outing would spiral into a nightmare, leaving two dead and the third facing serious murder charges.\n\nHit-and-Run Incident in a Milpitas Parking Lot\nLocal law enforcement officials reported that around noon on August 28, emergency services received a call regarding a hit-and-run incident in a parking lot located in the Milpitas area. Eyewitnesses informed officers that a blue SUV had struck a pedestrian and immediately fled the scene at high speed. When police arrived, they discovered a seriously injured woman in critical condition who was pronounced dead at the spot. She was later identified as 35-year-old Anjana Hari.\n\nAuthorities subsequently tracked down a matching blue SUV with heavy collision damage in a nearby parking area. The 32-year-old female driver from Milpitas operating the vehicle was taken into custody. While police did not immediately release her identity to the public, the victim's family identified the arrested woman as Anila, who originally hails from Kottayam in Kerala.\n\nThe Second Discovery in a San Jose Apartment\nThe mystery deepened significantly when a second woman, 40-year-old Anne Mary Mathew, was found dead inside her apartment in San Jose. Family members asserted that Anne Mary bore visible stab wounds on her body. According to relatives, Anne Mary's husband, Jacob, rushed to their apartment after hearing about Anjana's tragic death and discovered his wife lifeless indoors.\n\nWhile relatives have voiced strong suspicions connecting the two violent incidents, police have not yet publicly detailed the exact timeline or the direct link between the two deaths. Investigators are actively piecing together evidence to determine the precise chain of events connecting the parking lot collision and the apartment homicide.\n\nBackground of the Victims and Arrested Friend\nAnjana Hari, originally from Thrissur in Kerala, worked as a school teacher in the United States. She lived with her software engineer husband, Vijesh, and their six-year-old daughter, Vamika. The family had relocated to America in 2021, and Anjana had last visited Kerala in 2023. The second victim, Anne Mary Mathew from Thiruvananthapuram, was likewise employed as a computer teacher at a school in the US. She is survived by her husband Jacob and their two daughters, 12-year-old Andresa and five-year-old Alisa.\n\nRelatives revealed that the arrested woman, Anila, had recently lost her job in the US, whereas Anne Mary had secured employment and a work permit just two weeks prior to the incident. Despite these circumstantial details, US law enforcement agencies have not yet confirmed whether employment struggles or personal disputes played a role in the killings.\n\nEfforts to Repatriate Bodies to India\nUnion Minister Suresh Goपी discussed the tragic incident with Indian consulate officials, confirming that US authorities are treating both deaths as homicide cases. Discussions are underway through the Indian Consulate in San Francisco to facilitate the repatriation process of the mortal remains back to India, with local funeral homes instructed to complete necessary paperwork. However, the exact timeline for when the bodies will be released and flown home remains undetermined as US authorities continue their forensic investigations.\n\nWhat this means for you\nThis tragic incident in California highlights safety and mental health concerns within expatriate communities living abroad.\n\n• Across India: Families of expatriates are experiencing heightened anxiety regarding the safety and well-being of their loved ones living overseas.\n• In California: Local Indian diaspora communities are grappling with shock and raising questions about community safety following the violent episodes.\n• Repatriation Delays: Families face agonizing waits as local forensic investigations must conclude before bodies can be sent back to India.\n• Impact on Families: Young children and spouses left behind are dealing with profound grief and sudden trauma.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. Where did this incident take place?\nThe incident took place in the Milpitas and San Jose areas of California, USA.\n\n2. What are the names of the victims?\nThe deceased women were identified as 35-year-old Anjana Hari and 40-year-old Anne Mary Mathew.\n\n3. Who has been arrested in connection with the case?\nPolice arrested their 32-year-old mutual friend, Anila, in connection with the deaths.\n\n4. What were the women doing a day before the incident?\nA day before the incident, the three women celebrated Onam together and went to watch a movie.\n\n5. How did Anjana Hari die?\nAnjana Hari died after being struck by a vehicle in a parking lot in Milpitas.\n\n6. Where was Anne Mary Mathew found dead?\nAnne Mary Mathew was found dead inside her apartment in San Jose with visible stab wounds.\n\n7. What efforts are being made to bring the bodies back to India?\nUnion Minister Suresh Gopi consulted Indian consulate officials, and repatriation procedures through the Indian Consulate in San Francisco are underway.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/crime/amerika-men-kerala-ki-do-mahilaon-ki-nirmama-hatya-onam-utsava-ke-agale-dina-khauphanaka-varadata-se-sanasani-25331",
  "category": "Crime",
  "publishedAt": "2026-08-31",
  "tags": [
    "US Crime",
    "California Murder",
    "Kerala Diaspora",
    "Onam Celebration",
    "Milpitas Incident"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}