KOLLAM: Sooraj had schemed to kill Uthara seven months ago. Since then he has been collecting information or rather studying about snakes, according to the Investigation team.

Most of his YouTube searches were for getting information about snakes. It was thus he came in touch with snake-catcher Chathannur Kalluvathukkal native Suresh. He had gone to him and even played with snakes.

From Suresh and YouTube, Sooraj slowly learnt about the venom of each snake. He first bought a viper after he was well aware of the time taken by a person to die once he or she is bitten by it.

Thus while executing Plan A, Sooraj took Uthara to hospital after being bitten by Viper. He deliberately took her late to hospital, expecting her to die before reaching hospital. But, she returned to life, shattering Sooraj’s hopes.

The desperate Sooraj again approached Suresh and bought a cobra from him. The deal took place at Enathu. With this snake, he reached Uthara’s house at Anchal to execute Plan B. He kept it hidden in a plastic bottle inside the house. Only after several days, he took the bottle out and tipped the snake onto Uthara’s bed. When the snake raised it hood and pecked her two times, Sooraj was confident that she would die.

When he tried to put the snake back into the bottle, it turned towards him to bite him. Immediately, he gave up that attempt. The next day morning he beat the cobra to death.

What gave room for suspicion was the alleged snake bite incident happening for the second time with a short span.

Sooraj had married Uthara, out of the greed for her gold and property. Her relatives had showered him with big fat dowry which included gold, cash, car, rubber plantation and her father’s auto.

Sooraj also had expected to get Uthara’s mother’s pension as she would be retiring as a high school headmistress this month.
Though Sooraj had killed Uthara with great expectations, what put him behind the bars was prompt and intelligent investigation by the police.