25-year-old man was arrested for allegedly causing the death of his wife and two-year-old daughter by releasing a venomous snake into their room in Odisha’s Ganjam district. The tragic incident occurred in Adheigaon village within the Kabisurya Nagar area, located approximately 60 km from the site of the report, news agency PTI reported.
The accused, identified as K Ganesh Patra, was having a marital dispute with his wife K Basanti Patra (23). They were married in 2020 and had a two-year-old daughter named Debasmita.
The accused had allegedly procured a snake from a snake charmer, misleading him by saying that he would use the reptile for religious purposes, a police officer said on Thursday.
Also Read: Israel, Hamas start first truce in Gaza war
On October 6, he brought a cobra in a plastic jar and released the snake into the room where his wife and daughter slept. Both were found dead with snake bites the next morning, while the accused slept in another room.
The police initially registered an unnatural death case, but questioned the accused after his father-in-law lodged an FIR accusing him of being involved in the death of the two, Ganjam Superintendent of Police Jagmohan Meena said.
‘The accused was arrested a month after the incident as there was some delay in gathering evidence against him. During interrogation, he initially denied the allegation and later claimed that the snake might have entered the room on its own. But he confessed that he committed the crime,’ the SP said, adding further investigation is underway.
