VAIKOM : Ithipuzha village near Vaikom was shocked to hear the news reports on the murder of Anju and her children Jeeva Saju,6, and Janvi Saju, 4, in Kettering in the UK. Even more shocking was the news that Anju’s husband Saju, 52, has been taken into custody by the UK police in connection with the murders. Anju, 39, is the daughter of Ashokan, of Arakkal House at Kulasekharamangalam in Vaikom, and the late Kanchana.
As per the information received, Anju and two children were found with serious injuries by 5.30pm (IST) on Thursday, and they later succumbed to injuries. Saju, a native of Iritty in Kannur, is currently in police custody.
Ashokan came to know about the incident from the husband of Anju’s colleague on Friday morning. Ashokan was unable to believe that Saju committed the heinous act. “Saju is a short-tempered person. However, I never expected such a cruel act from him,” Ashokan said.
A few hours before the murder, Anju had sent a video of Jeeva and Jhanvi going to school, to Ashokan. He burst into tears on seeing the video of the children playing in the snow. Anju and Saju got married in 2012. After marriage, both of them worked in Bengaluru. Later, they went to Saudi Arabia, where Anju worked as a nurse and Saju in a private company.
In October 2021, both resigned from their jobs and went to the UK. The couple took their children to the UK in June this year after Anju got a job as a nurse in a hospital in Kettering in Northamptonshire. Saju was working as a driver there. Ashokan said Anju had told that Saju lost his job around four months ago.
Both of them last called us on Wednesday.
“It was raining that day so I couldn’t pick up the phone. I expected a call on Thursday, but it didn’t happen. Instead, I received a video on WhatsApp showing the children going to school. Saju is short-tempered and Anju was under stress due to this,” said Ashokan. Efforts are on to bring the bodies back home.