Kettering triple murder: Saju Chelavalel in court charged with murders of Anju Asok and her children

A man charged with murdering an NHS nurse and her two young children has appeared in court. Saju Chelavalel is accused of killing Anju Asok, 35, Jeeva Saju, six, and Janvi Saju, four, at his address in Petherton Court, Kettering, on 15 December.

Police officers said they found the mother and young children with serious injuries on Thursday morning and they died a short while later. Forensic post-mortem examinations at Leicester Royal Infirmary found they had died as a result of asphyxiation.

Speaking only to confirm his name and date of birth, Chelavalel, 52, appeared at Wellingborough Magistrates’ Court on Monday. He was remanded in custody ahead of another hearing at Northampton Crown Court on Wednesday.

Magistrate Neil Shepperd told him: “This matter is going to be remanded to the crown court. The hearing will be on 21 December at Northampton. In the meantime, you will be remanded in custody.”

Tributes to Anju and her children have been left at the scene, with several bunches of flowers placed beside the police cordon blocking off Petherton Court, alongside cuddly toys.

Police had earlier confirmed that Anju was a staff nurse at Kettering General Hospital. Deborah Needham, chief executive of Kettering General Hospital, previously paid tribute to Ms Asok in a statement.

She said: “Anju Asok was an internationally-trained nurse who joined our KGH family in 2021 and predominantly worked on Barnwell B – one of our orthopaedic wards.

“She was a committed and compassionate staff nurse, who was loved and respected by her dear friends and colleagues. All our thoughts are with her friends and family as they come to terms with this sudden loss.”