A day after the killing of an Indian-origin nurse from Kerala and her two young children was reported from the UK, her family on Saturday alleged that her husband was a "cruel" man and he had assaulted his wife in the past also.

To add to their woes, they need around Rs 30 lakh for bringing the bodies back to India and to see their daughter and grandkids for one last time.

The nurse -- 35-year-old Anju Asok -- and her children, a boy aged 6 years and a girl of 4 years, were found with serious injuries at their home in Kettering in the Northampton region of eastern England on Thursday.

According to police there, Asok died at the scene and the children succumbed to injuries in the hospital.

Speaking to the media at their home in Vaikom area of Kottayam district of the state, Asok's parents said that local police had informed them on the previous night that according to the post mortem of their daughter, she was strangled to death using a cloth or a rope.

The post-mortem of their grandkids was to be conducted today.

Asok's mother alleged that her son-in-law -- Saju-- is a "cruel" person and she has seen him assault her daughter and grandson when the couple was living in Saudi Arabia.

"I was staying with them when my granddaughter was born. I have seen him hit Anju and my grandson. He is a cruel person. He gets angry very quickly. I was scared to be alone with him in the house there.

"But my daughter never complained. She suffered everything in silence as she did not want us to worry. I am sure his cruelty continued when they moved to England," she told reporters.

She also said that Saju, who had a job in Saudi Arabia, was unemployed while in England, yet he used to control the finances and would rarely send them any money.

"He would decide when we can see our daughter and grandkids via video call," Asok's mother claimed.She also said that her son-in-law's family, who are based in Kannur, loved her daughter and grandkids and they never had any complaints about Asok.

Asok's father said that his daughter studied nursing in Bengaluru and was working there when she met Saju, who used to work in a travel agency.

"It was a love marriage. When she informed us, we were hesitant. But they were both adults and educated people. He was working in a travel agency.

"My daughter said she would accept it if we said no to their marriage, but she also said not to insist on marrying someone else. So, we agreed to their getting married," he said.

He also said that while he has not seen his daughter being hit, he has seen his grandson being allegedly manhandled by Saju who was short-tempered.

Asok's parents want to see their daughter and grandkids for one last time, but for that they need around Rs 30 lakhs, an amount which is beyond their means.

"We lost everything in the 2018 floods. All we have now is 13 cents of land and this house. If I sell it off, my ailing wife and I will have no place to live in our old age. I have no other means to raise that kind of money.

"I am hoping people will help. I will be very grateful to those who can help," he said as his eyes brimmed with tears.

Asok's mother too spoke along similar lines when she said they do not have the means to raise Rs 30 lakh.

"We want to see them for one last time," she said with tears flowing down her cheeks.Asok was a nurse working for the National Health Service (NHS) at Kettering General Hospital since 2021.