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In Kerala snake bite murder case, verdict to be delivered on Monday
The case surfaced after the woman’s parents filed a police complaint a couple of days after her death, alleging that Sooraj and his family members harassed their daughter for dowry.
The district magistrate court in Kollam (south Kerala) will deliver its verdict in the sensational snake bite murder case on Monday in which a 25-year-old woman was allegedly killed by her husband who put a cobra in her room and forced it to bite her while she was sleeping.
The macabre incident which triggered outrage and indignation took place on May 7, 2020 and the trial was completed in record time. The prosecution has sought death sentence for the main accused P Sooraj, the victim’s husband, saying it was a well-planned and executed murder. The victim’s parents also said they want maximum punishment for the accused.
The victim, Uthra, got the fatal bite in her home while she was undergoing treatment for another snake bite that she suffered a couple of months ago. During the probe, the special investigation team (SIT) found that he had procured enough training from a local snake handler, who provided him with a cobra. He became overconfident after nobody suspected any foul play during his alleged first attempt in which he used a viper.
The case surfaced after the woman’s parents filed a police complaint a couple of days after her death, alleging that Sooraj and his family members harassed their daughter for dowry. The couple had been married for two years and has a son. After the parents filed a complaint, Sooraj filed a counter-complaint against Uthra’s brother saying he wanted to usurp her father’s property. Her married brother was staying separately and he had some property dispute with the father and Sooraj used this to mislead investigators, the SIT found.
During investigation the SIT found that he bought a fully-grown black cobra from a snake handler Suresh, who turned an approver later, after paying ₹10,000 and took it to Uthra’s house in Anchal where she was staying after the first bite. The SIT said on May 6 night after she fell asleep he allegedly took out the snake from the bottle and threw it on her and provoked it and it bit her twice. Sooraj reportedly told the police that since she was under heavy medication for the first bite she failed to get up. He kept awake all night to ensure that it did not bite him and went out as usual in the morning. Though she was rushed to a nearby hospital doctors said she died of snake bite.
During investigation the SIT found that he was planning to marry again after eliminating his first wife. His parents were also charged with dowry harassment, destruction of evidence and other charges. Though there are no direct witnesses the SIT had managed several scientific evidences including autopsy of the dead cobra.
It later reconstructed the murder scene using a dummy experiment. The dummy video submitted in the court is expected to play a crucial role in the case_ the video shows the cobra trying to bite the dummy of the woman lying on the bed after it was provoked by the handler. Sooraj was charged with murder while his parents and sister are accused of domestic violence and abetment to the crime.
