The state of Kerala is shocked by the murder of a 25-year-old woman Uthra who was found dead at her Anchal house on May 7 following a snake bite. As Uthra was sleeping in a completely closed AC room with her husband, everybody including her parents felt suspicious about how the snake entered her room.

Uthra’s parents filed a case alleging that Sooraj had an eye on Uthra’s wealth. Also, the jewelry presented to their daughter during her wedding was missing. Immediately, Police began an investigation and the team made an assessment of all possibilities of a snake entering her room.

While interrogating Uthra's husband Sooraj, he told the police that the snake might have entered through the open window in the room where AC is installed. However, it was noticed that Sooraj was sleeping on the cot that was close to the window. Police found that the possibility of what Sooraj said had very little chance.

The investigation headed in a new direction after the police got evidence to come to the conclusion that the snake was deliberately put inside the room of Uthara in a suspected attempt to kill the young woman. Police found that Sooraj was closely associated with a snake catcher named Suresh who was also interrogated.

Also, Sooraj had prior experience handling snakes. On checking his phone records, it was found that Sooraj had researched the topic on YouTube several times in the past three months. He had also frequently called Suresh over the phone. After rigorous questioning, Sooraj confessed to plotting the murder.

Murder Plan

Sooraj had bought two snakes for Rs 10,000, police said. According to the Police, Sooraj attempted to murder Uthra earlier too. Sooraj didn’t take her to the hospital immediately and waited for about three hours. Fortunately, she reacted to the medicines and survived. She was discharged from hospital on April 22 and returned to her house in Anchal.

Recently, Sooraj bought a cobra snake from Suresh and stored it in a plastic container inside a bag under their cot at Uthra's house. On May 6, Sooraj planned the murder while Uthra was asleep. He took out the snake and threw it over Uthra's legs, watching the cobra biting her leg. He stayed awake throughout the night to ensure that she is dead. After the snake swirled under the almirah, Sooraj got scared if it would come to his side. So he stayed awake till 6 a.m. Later on May 7 morning, when Uthra’s mother came and tried to wake her, she didn’t respond.

Though Uthra was taken to the hospital, she was declared dead due to snake bite. On Sunday, Uthra’s husband Sooraj and his friend, Suresh, who supplied the snake and another accomplice were arrested. According to the Police Sorraj married Uthara, eyeing her gold and property. Sooraj was not happy about his life with Uthra and had even taken around 98 sovereigns of gold from Uthra’s family as dowry. He had planned to abandon Uthra for a better life, the police officer added.

Evidence Collection

On Monday, the Police took Sooraj to Uthra's house for evidence collection. Dramatic scenes unfolded at the house after Uthra's tearful mother protested against Sooraj entering the house. The evidence was collected from the empty building near Uthra's house. He had left the bottle which was used to bring the snake, at the building. The Forensic team is investigating the same.