Odisha man arrested for killing wife, daughter by releasing cobra into room

Berhampur, November 24

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A 25-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly killing his wife and two-year-old daughter by releasing a venomous snake into their room in Odisha’s Ganjam district, police said.

The incident took place at Adheigaon village in Kabisurya Nagar area, around 60 km from here.

K Ganesh Patra was having a marital dispute with wife K Basanti Patra (23). They were married in 2020 and had a two-year-old daughter, 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.

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 questioning, he initially denied the allegation and claimed that the snake might have entered the room on its own. But later, he confessed to the crime,” the SP said.