Whenever we hear of murders, we feel deeply distressed. But this one from Kollam, in particular, is grimmer because of the way it was orchestrated.
According to India Today, a Kerala-based man named Sooraj has been arrested for using snakes to fatally poison his 25-year-old wife Uthra and remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.
Husband arrested for getting wife killed by snake in Kerala
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The Indian Express quoted Kollam rural Superintendent of Police (SP) Harisanker saying,
“He had purchased a viper on February 26 and kept the snake in his home. The first attempt was on the night of March 2, but failed because Uthara realized she got a snakebite and was taken to hospital.”
NDTV reports that on April 24, he bought a cobra and on May 6, let it loose while his wife was sleeping in his second attempt at killing her. This time she didn’t survive the snake bite.
Police officials have confirmed that he watched several snake-handling videos online and on the basis of his call records, his friend has also been arrested. The motive behind the crime was ascertained to be money. Sooraj had earlier received dowry at his wedding and sought to stake claim to his wife’s property and marry someone else. The whole matter came to light after the woman’s family grew suspicious of him and contacted the cops.
It is deeply saddening to see this, more so because the couple has a one-year-child together. We hope that both men are punished for their crimes.