Meerut Murder Plot: Snake Released in Husband’s Bed Over a Rs 20 Lakh Insurance Claim

What began as a seemingly ordinary love marriage in Meerut in 2019 turned into one of Uttar Pradesh’s most bizarre homicide cases. Atul Panwar, who ran a private school in Hastinapur, was found dead on his bed with a venomous snake coiled beside him.

According to the police investigation, the death was no accident. Detectives allege that Atul’s wife, Damini, conspired with her alleged lover – Tushar, a married van driver employed by the school – and two hired snake‑charmers to stage a ‘snakebite’ murder.

The plan, prosecutors say, was hatched over several weeks. First, Damini supposedly slipped sleeping pills into a glass of milk and offered it to her husband. Once Atul was fast asleep, she is said to have moved their child to another room and left the house.

At that point, Tushar allegedly arrived with the two snake‑charmers, Sonu and Uday, each carrying a highly venomous krait. The reptile was released onto Atul’s mattress, where it bit the sleeping man. The snake was deliberately left near the body to reinforce the appearance of an accidental bite.

In the early hours of the next morning, Damini raised the alarm, telling neighbours that her husband had been bitten by a snake. Neighbours who arrived saw the snake near the corpse, which initially backed up the story of an unfortunate mishap.

However, Atul’s family grew suspicious. Inconsistencies in the timeline, along with frantic phone calls between Damini and Tushar, prompted the police to dig deeper. Call‑detail records, messages and eyewitness statements pointed toward a pre‑meditated plot.

When confronted, the accused reportedly confessed, revealing that the ultimate motive was two‑fold: to eliminate Atul, whom they viewed as an obstacle to their relationship, and to claim the Rs 20 lakh life‑insurance policy taken out on his name.

Senior Superintendent of Police Avinash Pandey said the investigation confirmed that the murder was orchestrated, not a natural snakebite. All four suspects – Damini, Tushar, Sonu and Uday – have been arrested and are being interrogated.

The case has sparked widespread outrage, highlighting how greed and illicit affairs can drive people to unimaginable extremes. It also serves as a grim reminder for insurers to scrutinise claims that seem too convenient.