Snakebite murder case: Kerala Crime Branch visits Uthra's house with accused to collect evidence

Primary investigations suggest that accused Sooraj (27), who worked in a private bank, bought the snake to kill his wife Uthra (25) and also watched snake videos on the internet. He had planned to take away her money and gold and marry someone else.

Kollam:After arresting a man for having killed his wife by letting loose a cobra in her room after failing with a viper once before in Kerala’s Kollam district, state Crime Branch officials visited the deceased woman’s house along with the accused to collect evidence.

Primary evidence including the plastic container in which Sooraj, the accused, had brought the snake was found from the backyard of his dead wife, Uthra’s house.

Forensic scientists and fingerprint experts collected scientific evidence amid tight security to avoid any interference by agitated locals, who were enraged over the incident.

Investigation further revealed that Sooraj (27), who worked in a private bank, bought the snake to kill his wife Uthra (25) and also watched snake videos on the internet. He had planned to take away her money and gold and marry someone else.

Uthra had died on May 7. When her family learnt that she had been bitten by a snake, they grew suspicious. She had been bitten by a snake earlier in March as well.

When the police started digging into the case, they found out that Sooraj, 27, had planned the first attempt in late February. He arranged a highly venomous snake with the help of a snake handler. The snake bit Uthra and she was hospitalised.

She was released after a month's treatment and went to her parents' home.

After the first attempt, Sooraj allegedly bought a cobra from the same friend in April.

On May 6, Sooraj threw the snake at his sleeping wife.

She was taken to the hospital the next morning, where she was declared dead from snakebite.