Murder Plot Uncovered After "Snakebite" Death
What was first thought to be a death by snakebite has turned out to be a murder in Podaturpet village, Tiruvallur district. On October 22, E P Ganesan, 56, a lab assistant at a government school, was found dead at his home. His son, Mohanraj, 26, reported the death, and police initially believed it was an accidental snakebite.
Insurance Company Raises Doubts
However, an insurance company became suspicious. They noticed strange behavior from Ganesan's sons when they tried to claim money. This led police to look closer at the case. Investigators found out that Ganesan had been bitten by a snake twice in one week.
- The first time, a cobra bit him. Neighbors quickly took him to the hospital, and his life was saved.
- The second time, a krait snake bit him on the neck. This time, there was a strange delay in taking him to the hospital.
Police also discovered that Ganesan's family had many loans and several large insurance policies worth ₹3 crore (about 30 million rupees). This amount was much more than their known income. These unusual details made the police form a special investigation team on December 6.
Sons Plotted Father's Murder for Money
Police checked the sons' phone calls and bank records. They found that Ganesan's sons, Mohanraj (26) and Hariharan (27), both working at a private company, had planned to kill their father. Their goal was to get the large insurance payout.
To carry out their plan, they got help from their friend, G Balaji (28). Balaji then contacted three more people: B Prashanth (35), S Dinakaran (43), and G Naveenkumar (27). These people helped them get poisonous snakes to make the death look like an accident.
How the Murder Was Carried Out
Police described the two attempts:
- First Attempt: They made a cobra bite Ganesan's leg while he was asleep. But neighbors quickly helped him and took him to the hospital, saving his life.
- Second Attempt: The sons did not give up. They found a krait snake, which has faster-acting poison. They made sure it bit Ganesan on the neck early on October 22. After the bite, they killed the snake inside the house.
The unexplained delay in taking Ganesan to the hospital after the second bite made police believe the crime was planned. The fact that there were two snakebites in one week also seemed suspicious, even though the accused claimed the village had many snakes.
Arrests Made, Investigation Continues
Detailed analysis of the two sons' phone records and unusual money transfers of ₹2 lakh (200,000 rupees) linked them to the four other accused. So far, six people have been arrested: the two sons and their four helpers. The police are still investigating the case.
