Image used for representational purpose only.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
A man reportedly killed his wife and daughter by unleashing a venomous snake on them while they slept in Odisha’s Ganjam district.
Police investigation revealed that K. Ganesh, a migrant worker, of Adheibara village under Kabisuryanagar police limit had killed his wife K. Basanti Patra, and their two-year-old daughter over a family dispute that arose due to the alleged dowry demand made by the accused.
The two were married in the year 2020.
“The couple was happy post their marriage, and were blessed with a daughter. However, marital discord soon broke out between the couple. The wife had lodged a police complaint alleging dowry torture by the husband. Following her complaint the couple lived separately for a while. However, a few months before the tragic incident, the couple had begun to cohabit,” Kabisruyanagar police officials said.
According to police, Ganesh was still bitter against his wife, and conspired to kill her. On September 26, Ganesh called several snake charmers using a phone number issued in name of his father. He procured a poisonous snake by convincing local snake charmers that the reptile was intended for worship at a local Lord Shiva temple.
One snake charmer, identified as Basanta Acharya, who had rescued a venomous snake from Bhaiga Sahi village under the Kodala police station, provided the reptile to Ganesh in a plastic jar, the police said.
“The accused kept the snake in secret at his residence. On the night of October 6, Ganesh released the snake into the room where his wife and daughter were sleeping. The snake bit both mother and daughter resulting in an instant death. On the morning of October 7, Ganesh alerted his neighbours of the deaths of his wife and child,” police said.
Suspicious of the deaths, the wife’s father lodged a police complaint requesting further investigation into the case. During interrogation, Ganesh confessed before police, and was subsequently produced in a local court.