A chilling murder case has emerged from Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut, where a woman and her lover have been arrested for plotting her husband’s murder using a venomous snake in a bid to make the death look like a tragic accident. Police claim the duo wanted to pocket a ₹20 lakh insurance payout while eliminating the biggest obstacle to their relationship.
Husband found dead in bed
The victim, Atul Panwar, co-ran Krishna Kids Play School in Hastinapur with his wife, Damini. The couple, who married in 2019, lived together in the town. Atul was found unconscious in his bed after being bitten by a poisonous snake and was declared dead after being taken to a nearby Community Health Centre.
Police reveal murder was meticulously planned
According to Meerut police, the crime was not an impulsive act but the result of careful planning.
Investigators allege that Damini was involved in an affair with the school’s driver, Tushar alias Nikki. Police reveal the two had initially tried to eliminate Atul by staging a road accident. When that plan failed, they devised a far more sinister method.
Police said Damini mixed sleeping pills into her husband’s milk, rendering him unconscious. Once he was asleep, a poisonous snake was released onto the bed, where it bit him. Officials believe the conspirators expected the death to be treated as an accidental snakebite, ensuring they escaped suspicion.
Rs 20 lakh insurance and affair behind the plot
Investigators say the conspiracy had two clear objectives: securing a ₹20 lakh insurance claim and removing Atul so the couple could continue their relationship without opposition.
The snakebite, police believe, was deliberately chosen to make the death appear natural and avoid a murder investigation.
Mobile phone evidence exposed the conspiracy
While the death initially appeared to be a fatal snakebite, investigators found several inconsistencies during the probe.
Police analysed mobile phone records and other evidence, which they say exposed the conspiracy involving Damini and Tushar. Both have since been arrested, while the investigation continues to determine the role of other suspected conspirators.
According to police, Tushar is also married and had been planning to divorce his wife before the murder plot was uncovered.
Similar case reported in Andhra Pradesh
The Meerut case comes months after a similar murder in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district. In that case, police alleged that a woman lured her husband on a temple visit with their daughter while secretly sharing their live location with her lover, enabling him to intercept and kill the victim. The wife and her lover were later arrested.
