London: The trial in the triple murder of a Malayali family at Kettering has started at the Northampton Coroner's Court.
The accused is Saju Chelevalan (52), a native of Kombanpara in Kerala's Kannur district. He is accused of murdering his wife Anju Ashok (35), son Jeeva (six) and daughter Jhanvi (four) at Kettering on December 15.
The prosecution told the court that Saju had strangled the victims. A forensic post-mortem done at the Leicester Royal Infirmary concluded that Anju, who was working as an NHS nurse, had died of asphyxiation.
Senior coroner for Northamptonshire, Anne Pember, said during the hearing that the provisional cause of the death of the two children was strangulation.
Saju is charged with three counts of murder. He was presented before the court on December 21 and remanded till March 24. The case will be heard again on July 6.
The mortal remains of Vaikom-native Anju and her children were released to the funeral directors last week. It is understood that the remains will be transported to Kerala soon.