Kerala snakebite murder

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Kerala snakebite murder was an unusual case in which the victim, Uthra, a twenty-five-year-old woman, was killed by a snakebite inflicted while she was asleep on 7 May 2020. She was in her parent's home in Anchal, located in the South Indian state of Kerala.

Her husband, Sooraj S. Kumar, a twenty-seven-year-old bank employee,^[1][2] was arrested. Later, he confessed to the public media that he purchased a cobra, and introduced the snake into their bedroom, with the intention of killing his wife.^[3][4][5] Kerala Police produced strong scientific evidence that supported murder.^[6] In Kollam sessions court, on 13 October 2021, Sooraj was found guilty of killing his wife by throwing and forcing a live cobra to bite her. Judge M. Manoj sentenced the accused to 17 years imprisonment plus double life imprisonment and a penalty of 5 lakh rupees.^[7]

Incident[]

Uthra was a differently-abled^[8] young housewife, who had been married for two years, and was the mother of a one-year-old son.^[9] At the time, Uthra was recovering from a previous Russell's viper bite, inflicted on 2 March 2020,^[10] two months prior, at her husband's home near Adoor and was living in her parent's home during her recovery.^[9][2] The viper bite caused her to be completely bed-ridden for around 52 days and had she had to undergo plastic surgery to repair the damage.^[11]

She was found unconscious, in her bedroom in her parent's home, when her mother came to call her in the morning. It appeared that she had been bitten by a snake during the night of 6 May 2020. Uthra died the next day, 7 May 2020. A large Indian cobra was found in the bedroom that she shared with her husband.^[9][2]

According to Uthra's mother, Manimegalai,^[2] her daughter and Sooraj went to bed after dinner. The next morning Sooraj, usually a late riser, woke up unusually early and went outside. However, Uthra didn't wake up at her usual time. Her mother went into her room and found Uthra unconscious. Later, the room was searched, and the cobra was discovered and killed.^[10][12]

Complaint and evidence[]

One week after his daughter's death, Uthra’s father, Vijayasenan,^[2] contacted police, stating that he suspected foul play in his daughter’s death.^[9] He filed a complaint on 21 May to Kerala Police calling it an unnatural death. Her parents stated that, because Uthra and her husband were sleeping in an air-conditioned room, it would have been difficult for the cobra to enter the room without being detected.^[9]

Uthra had already informed her parents about Sooraj's expertise in handling venomous snakes.^[10] Approximately two months prior to her death from the cobra bite, Uthra had been bitten by a Russell's viper.^[10] The combination of the two incidents caused police to suspect Sooraj's involvement in this case.^[10]

Noted snake expert Vava Suresh took interest in the incident. After visiting both homes, he recommended that Uthra's family contact the police. Later, Vava Suresh gave his expert testimony and statement to the police. In the first snakebite incident, he said that a Russell's viper would have been unable to reach the second story room in her husband's home, where Uthra received the first snake bite. In regards to the second, fatal bite, Vava Suresh also noted that it would have been difficult for the cobra to enter the air-conditioned room in Uthra's parent's home, unaided. He surmised that the cobra may have been "hurt", as a means of forcing it to bite the sleeping woman.^[13]

Discovery and arrests[]

The police arrested the victim's husband, Sooraj, as the prime suspect and also arrested the snake catcher Chavarukavu Suresh Kumar (not to be confused with the snake expert Vava Suresh) as a second suspect in the case. On 12 July 2020, Sooraj made a public confession about the murder.^[14][15] He stated that he bought two snakes for ₹10,000 each, (US $135) ^[16] from the snake catcher Chavarukavu Suresh Kumar.^[17]

According to the police, Sooraj has admitted that he gave sleep-inducing pills to his wife to sedate her, before releasing the snake.^[18] He also confessed that he had starved the cobra for eleven days, with the intention of ensuring that the cobra would bite his wife. From 24 April to 6 May, the snake "was kept in a bottle without being fed".^[19]

The investigating team has reported that Uthra was attacked twice, first with a viper and then with a cobra. The viper bite caused her to be completely bed-ridden for around 52 days and had she had to undergo plastic surgery to repair the damage.^[11] The Kerala police's special investigation team (SIT) stated that in this murder case, Sooraj will be the primary person accused and that another case will be registered against him, his mother, father and sister for domestic violence and destroying evidence.^[9] The State Women's Commission also urged the police to arrest the family members.^[20]

Prior to her death, "She wasn’t able to walk, was in a bed-ridden situation for 52 days and had to undergo a plastic surgery after getting bitten by the viper. Making her get bitten again with a more venomous snake while she had still not recovered from the earlier attempt amounts to brutal murder only,” stated Crime Branch Deputy Superintendent of Police, A Ashokan, the officer who had led the investigation.^[14]

Sooraj was booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, for murder, attempted murder, attempted permanent injury and destruction of evidence.^[11]

During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that gold from Uthra's bank locker had been removed on 2 March, the date of her first snakebite, by the Russell's viper.^[21] In early June, 2020 Uthra's father-in-law, Surendran Panicker (59) was arrested, on charges of charges of destroying evidence and hiding 38 sovereign of gold jewellery, which Police discovered buried in a nearby rubber plantation.^[2] Uthra's parents stated that the majority of her dowry was still missing.^[20]

In August 2020, both Renuka and Surya, mother and sister of Sooraj, were arrested on charges of conspiracy, domestic violence and destruction of evidence.^[22] The charges include "sections 498A (Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty), 406 (Punishment for criminal breach of trust), 201 (Causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) ".^[23]

Although the snake catcher, Chavarukavu Suresh Kumar, was originally one of the accused, he became an approver in the case.^[24]

Forensic evidence[]

On 26 May 2020, Kerala Police sent the carcass of the cobra for forensic examination.^[10] The cobra was 80 cm long, and capable of inflicting a fatal bite on a human.^[9] The then Kerala DGP Loknath Behra said that in this peculiar case, investigation would be carried out in a scientific manner by conducting a DNA test of a dead snake.^[1]

Motive[]

A private bank employee, Sooraj S. Kumar is said to have planned the murder by watching snake handling videos on the internet and received training to handle venomous snakes.^[1] His motive was to take ownership of his wife's dowry in gold,^[25] and also of her life insurance policy.^[14] Police received information that Sooraj had obtained a life insurance policy on his wife a few months prior to her death.^[3] Uthra's father said that previously, "he had gifted over 100 sovereigns of gold and a new car" to Sooraj and his family,^[9] in addition to ₹10 lakh cash.^[20]

Court case[]

The case became a major reference part of the criminology syllabus, here in this Homicide Suraj employed a natural weapon to commit the murder.^[26] Lack of similar history made the investigation team difficult to find out the criminal act of murder. So for further reference, each part of this investigation will be getting published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences & Criminal Investigation.^[26] In December, 2020, the snake catcher, Chavarukavu Suresh Kumar, testified to the court that Sooraj contacted him and purchased a snake. Suresh learned of Uthra's death from the newspapers. Sooraj told Suresh that he no longer wished to be wed to a differently-abled wife and that people would attribute his wife's death to "sarpa dosha" the wrath of snakes (a popular belief). Suresh said he was distressed by Uthra's death. According to his testimony, snakes he captured were usually released into the forest with assistance from Indian Forest officials.^[27]

Sessions Court Judgement[]

On 13 October 2021, Kollam Additional District and Sessions Court lead by additional sessions judge, Manoj M sentenced Sooraj to 17 years imprisonment plus consecutive two life imprisonment and five lakh rupees penalty. This is considered as the first case in the state of Kerala, where a murder involved use of a live animal as the weapon.^[28] In court, Sooraj was found guilty for using a live cobra to kill his wife Uthra.^[29]

See also[]

• Dowry system in India
• Dowry death

References[]