UK triple murder: Police bodycam video shows Kannur native's arrest

London: The Northamptonshire Police in the United Kingdom have released a video showing the arrest of Keralite Saju Chelavelan who has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for killing his wife and two young children late last year at their home in Kettering town, 107 km from London. The police had rushed to the spot on December 15, 2022, upon receiving an emergency message stating that a woman and two small children were injured.

The video on Twitter shows police officers forcing their way into the house by breaking the glass door and ordering Saju to drop the knife in his hand. Even though the officers – pointing taser guns at Saju — shout several times to obey them, the latter asks them to shoot him. The police finally taser Saju and arrest him with handcuffs. The video – which was recorded from the bodycams of the police officers – ends there.

On examining the house, the police soon found the bodies of Saju’s wife Anju and their children Jeeva and Jhanvi. Saju (52), who belongs to Komanpara, Padiyoor at Iritty in Kannur, was found guilty by a UK court and sentenced to life the other day for killing his wife Anju (40) and their two children Jeeva (six) and Jhanvi (four).

The Northampton Crown court, in its judgment, said that Saju should undergo life imprisonment of at least 40 years. He has also been barred from making any contact with Anju’s family members. Anju was the daughter of Asokan of Kulasekharamangalam at Vaikom in Kottayam district.

According to the prosecution, Saju had strangled Anju to death at 10 pm on December 14, 2022, and the children in a similar manner four hours later. He also inflicted deep wounds on Anju’s body. Saju and Anju were working in Saudi Arabia before immigrating to the UK in October 2021.