Man Arrested for Allegedly Killing Wife and Daughter with Cobra Snake in Odisha

Accident – Death – Obituary News : Man Arrested for Releasing Cobra Snake into Bedroom, Killing Wife and Daughter in Odisha’s Ganjam

In a shocking incident that took place on October 7 in the Adheibara village under Ganjam’s Kabisuryanagar police limits, a man was arrested on Thursday for allegedly killing his wife and two-year-old daughter by releasing a cobra snake into their bedroom. The accused, identified as 25-year-old K Ganesh Patra, had marital differences with his wife K Basanti Patra, which police believe might be the reason behind this heinous act.

According to reports, Ganesh and Basanti had been married since 2020 and had a baby girl later. Due to their ongoing marital strife, Basanti had previously filed a complaint against her husband under The Dowry Prohibition Act. However, the couple had been living together for the past three months before the incident occurred.

Investigations have revealed that even after living together, Ganesh had reportedly planned on killing his wife. It is believed that the marital strife and the temptation to collect Rs 8 lakh of ex-gratia amount (Rs 4 lakh each) for snakebite victims may have led him to hatch this sinister plan.

To execute his plan, Ganesh procured a SIM card in his father’s name on September 26 and used that number to contact multiple snake charmers in his locality. He was trying to acquire a poisonous snake for his deadly scheme. Ganesh had claimed that he needed the snake for worshipping at a Lord Shiva temple.

A snake charmer named Basanta Acharya came forward and rescued a cobra from someone’s house, giving it to Ganesh in a plastic jar on October 6. Ganesh then took the snake home and hid it somewhere. Investigations have revealed that on the intervening night of October 6 and 7, Ganesh slept in the front room of the house while his wife and their two-year-old daughter were sleeping in the middle room.

Around 2 am, Ganesh shut the middle room doors and released the cobra into their room with the intention of the snake biting his wife. The plan was executed, and early on October 7, Ganesh raised an alarm in the locality, leading to his neighbors and Basanti’s father gathering at the spot. His wife and daughter were rushed to a nearby government hospital, where they were tragically declared brought dead.

The postmortem examination revealed that the cause of death for both victims was a snakebite, confirming Ganesh’s heinous act. Initially, it appeared to be a case of snakebite, but the police launched an investigation based on Basanti’s father’s complaint, accusing Ganesh of killing his daughter.

The snake charmer, Basanta Acharya, who was the only witness, was not implicated in the case as he was unaware of Ganesh’s murder plan. However, authorities are considering taking action against him under forest laws.

The arrest of K Ganesh Patra has sent shockwaves throughout the community. The incident serves as a tragic reminder of the dangers lurking within domestic disputes and the lengths some individuals are willing to go to settle personal scores. The authorities are determined to ensure justice is served in this horrific case, and the investigation is ongoing.

Asmita Ravi Shankar, a News Trainee at News18.com, covers crime, general, and day-to-day national news..