Kerala snake bite murder: Investigation team to extract DNA of animal as evidence

In what has become the first instance in the history of the state, Kerala Police has conducted the postmortem of a snake carcass in connection with the death of a woman.

25-year-old Uthra had died due to a snake bite on May 7. A detailed probe revealed that the death was, in fact, a murder plotted by her husband who had bought the snake.

The investigation team probing matter reached the premises of Uthra’s house in Anchal where the snake carcass was buried.

The team comprising forensic scientists, policemen and forest officials carried out the postmortem of the snake carcass. The DNA of the snake will be extracted and used for the investigation.

Kerala DGP Loknath Behra said that the this is a peculiar case and investigation will be carried out in a scientific manner.

“For the first time in a case, we are conducting a DNA test of a dead snake for the investigation. The test will be done outside the state most probably Chennai or Hyderabad. I have also directed the investigation team to file the chargesheet within 90 days”, Behra told media.

Uthra was brought dead at a private hospital in Kerala on May 7. In the autopsy, it was revealed that she died due to snakebite.

Later that day, a cobra was found inside Uthra and her husband Sooraj’s bedroom.

The probe revealed that Uthra was earlier bitten by a snake in March this year while at her husband’s house.

This raised quite a few eyebrows, leading the investigation team into probing the case thoroughly.

Police said that money was the actual motive behind the crime. Though Sooraj received a huge amount of money and gold as dowry, he wasn’t satisfied with Uthra. He wanted to take the money and find a better partner.

Police found digital evidence on the man’s mobile phone using which he had been watching snake-related videos on YouTube since the last three months, apparently to get trained in handling them.

Police said Sooraj bought Russell’s viper from a snake-seller Suresh and on March 2 he attempted to kill his wife at their house in Adoor using the snake.

Uthra was hospitalised and discharged on April 22 after which she had returned to her parent’s home in Anchal in Kollam district.