Two women from Kerala, India, were killed in separate incidents in California on August 28, prompting investigations by local law enforcement into whether the cases are connected. Authorities are treating both deaths as homicides.

Anjana Hari, 35, originally from Thrissur, was fatally injured in a hit-and-run incident at the Mill Creek Apartments parking lot in Milpitas around midday. Police arrived at the scene shortly after receiving reports at 12:01 p.m. and found her with critical injuries. She was pronounced dead at the location. Witnesses reported seeing a blue SUV fleeing immediately after the collision. Officers later located a vehicle matching the description nearby, exhibiting damage consistent with the accident, and arrested its driver, identified by family and Kerala media as a 32-year-old woman named Anila from Kottayam. Authorities have not confirmed the suspect’s identity publicly.

Around two hours later, at 1:53 p.m., San Jose police responded to a report of suspicious circumstances at a residence on Linda Vista Street. Officers found 40-year-old Ann Mary Mathew, originally from Thiruvananthapuram, unconscious with at least one stab wound and later declared her dead at the scene. Police classified the incident as a homicide. Investigators have confirmed that the victim and the suspect were known to each other, and a suspect has been identified, though no official statements have linked the two cases or suspects.

Relatives of the victims have suggested that the same woman might be responsible for both deaths and claim that Ann Mary was stabbed first, followed by the fatal hit-and-run involving Anjana. However, authorities have yet to confirm these details or establish a motive. Some reports from Kerala media have speculated about a possible dispute related to employment, but police have not verified this.

Both victims were educators who had moved to California in recent years. Anjana Hari had been living with her husband, Vijesh, a software engineer, and their six-year-old daughter. Ann Mary Mathew also lived with her husband, Jacob, and their two daughters.

The incident has deeply affected their families in Kerala, especially since the victims and the suspected woman were reportedly friends who had recently celebrated the festival of Onam together. Indian Union Minister Suresh Gopi stated that he is in contact with India’s Consul General in San Francisco. Efforts are underway to facilitate the repatriation of the victims’ bodies after the completion of official procedures by U.S. authorities.

Police continue their inquiries to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the two deaths and whether a link exists between them. The families await further updates as investigations proceed.