The 35-year-old nurse and her two young children were killed in the UK; her family in Kerala has blamed the husband.
The nurse's family in Kerala has blamed the husband for the killings. (Wikimedia Commons)
A day after the killing of an Indian-origin nurse and her two young children in the United Kingdom, her family in Kerala on Saturday, 17 December, heaped blame on her husband, describing him as “cruel man” who had assaulted their daughter in the past.
The nurse, Anju Asok, 35, and her children — a boy aged six and a girl of four — were found with serious injuries at their home in Kettering in the Northampton region of eastern England on Thursday.
According to the police, Anju died at their home, while the children succumbed to their injuries at a hospital.
Speaking to reporters at their home in the Vaikom area of Kottayam district, Anju’s parents said that local police had informed them the previous night that, according to the post mortem of their daughter, she was strangled to death using a cloth or a rope.
The post-mortem of their grandchildren was to be conducted on Saturday.
To add to their woes, the family will need to raise around ₹30 lakh to bring the bodies of the three back to India and to see their daughter and grandkids one last time.
Anju’s mother alleged that her son-in-law, Saju, was a “cruel man” and she has seen him assault her daughter and grandson when the couple was living in Saudi Arabia.
“I was staying with them when my granddaughter was born. I have seen him hit Anju and my grandson. He is a cruel person. He gets angry very quickly. I was scared to be alone with him in the house there.
“But my daughter never complained. She suffered everything in silence as she did not want us to worry. I am sure his cruelty continued when they moved to England,” she told reporters.
She also said that Saju, who had a job in Saudi Arabia, was unemployed in Britain, yet used to control the family finances and would rarely send them any money.
“He would decide when we could see our daughter and grandkids via video call,” Anju’s mother claimed.
She also said that her son-in-law’s family, who are based in Kannur, loved her daughter and grandkids and they never had any complaints about Anju.
Anju’s father said that his daughter studied nursing in Bengaluru and was working there when she met Saju, who used to work in a travel agency.
“It was a love marriage. When she informed us, we were hesitant. But they were both adults and educated people.
“My daughter said she would accept it if we said no to their marriage, but she also asked us not to insist on marrying someone else. So, we agreed to their getting married,” he said.
He also said that while he has not seen his daughter being hit, he has seen his grandson being manhandled by Saju.
Anju’s parents want to see their daughter and grandchildren one last time, but for that they need around ₹30 lakhs, an amount beyond their means.
“We lost everything in the 2018 floods. All we have now is 13 cents of land and this house. If I sell it off, my ailing wife and I will have no place to live in our old age. I have no other means to raise that kind of money.
“I am hoping people will help. I will be very grateful to those who can help,” he said.
“We want to see them for one last time,” said Anju’s mother, tears flowing down her cheeks.
Anju was working as a nurse with the National Health Service at Kettering General Hospital since 2021.
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