Vijayawada: The last rites were performed to the bodies of NRI techie Narra Sasikala and her son Anish Sai, 7, at the native village of her husband Hanumantha Rao in Prakasam district. Mr Rao did not accompany the bodies though family sources earlier said he would be coming home for the funeral.

Sasikala and Anish Sai were stabbed to death at their home in Fox Meadows apartments in Maple Shade, Burlington county, New Jersey. The local police has made little progress in identifying the murderers.

Sasikala’s parents Sunkara Krishna Kumari and Venkates-war Rao and other family members had a brief glimpse of the bodies at the Durga Ghat in Vijayawada.

The bodies were flown to Hyderabad from the US late on Saturday night and taken to Thimmarajupalem in Prakasam district.

Krishna Kumari fainted on seeing the bodies, and was rushed to hospital. No family member went to the funeral at Thimmaraju-palem.

Mr Narra Subba Rao, the father of Hanumantha Rao performed the cremation of Sasikala and burial of Anish Sai.

People from the village had gathered at the crematorium and police rushed to the spot as a precautionary measure in the backdrop of disputes between the families of Sasikala and Mr Hanumantha Rao.

Mr Subba Rao said his son was innocent and that the US police had e confirmed that he was not at home when Sasikala and Anish Sai were murdered. He claimed the police had not found any evidence of an extramarital affair, which Sasikala’s family had alleged was the reason for the double murders. His relatives alleged that it was a hate crime.