Mortal remains of two Keralites killed in Germany apartment fire brought home

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The mortal remains of two youths from Keralam who were killed in a fire at an apartment building in Bochum, Germany, were brought to Kochi early on Friday (October 23, 2026). The bodies of Sivin Johny, 26, and Anjali Sheela Joy, 27, of Chemmakkad, Periyanad, in Kollam district, were brought to Cochin International Airport around 1.30 a.m., while the body of the third victim, Nova Sabu, 25, of Kattappana in Idukki district, is expected to arrive at 8.15 p.m. on Friday, officials said.

Relatives of the deceased, public representatives, including Kalady grama panchayat president Pouly Baby, and NoRKA officials received the bodies.

Sivin’s body was taken to his residence at Manickamangalam near Kalady after medical formalities were completed at a hospital in Aluva. The funeral is scheduled to be held at St. Rocky’s Syro-Malabar Church, Manickamangalam, in the afternoon. Anjali’s mortal remains were taken to her home in Kollam.

Sivin had reached Germany only about two weeks earlier for higher studies, while Anjali had been in Germany since July. She was working at a warehouse there. Nova, who had worked as a fitness trainer in Keralam before moving to Germany in July, was reportedly about to start a new job when the tragedy claimed her life. Nova had earlier worked with Anjali and had gone to visit her for the weekend when the accident happened.

The three were killed in a fire that broke out early on October 13, 2026, in a multi-family residential building in Bochum’s Hofstede district. Firefighters found the three victims dead in an apartment on the second floor. Five other people who were injured were taken to hospitals in Bochum.

Investigations are under way into the arson attack on the apartment building. Preliminary findings indicate that the tragedy stemmed from personal enmity between the flat owner and a Romanian national who is currently in police custody.