A wife is among four people arrested after a 32-year-old school principal in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut was found dead at his rented house in J Block Colony in Hastinapur on Friday morning, police said.
According to police officers, Atul Kumar Panwar was allegedly murdered by his wife Damini and Panwar’s school bus driver, Tusshar, who concealed the crime as snake bite death.
Two snake charmers – Sonu and Uday Kumar – have been arrested in connection with the case, a police officer said, adding that the snake used was a highly venomous krait.
Damini allegedly conspired with Tusshar to eliminate him. Investigators said: “Atul was initially given milk laced with sleeping pills before a snake bit him while he was sleeping, causing his death. Tusshar was working as a bus driver at Atul’s school.”
Tusshar allegedly enlisted the help of two snake charmers, both residents of Hastinapur, to execute the plan.
Atul, a native of Bhandora village, and Damini, a resident of J Block, were married in 2019. The couple had been living in a rented house in J Block Colony for the past four months with their six-year-old son.
Three months ago, the couple set up a Krishna school for children in the city. Tushar, a resident of Kohla village in Moana, reportedly joined the school as a bus driver around the same time.
Police said Damini informed local residents on Friday morning that Atul died due to a snake bite. “A snake was found on the bed of the deceased and it was immediately killed by the people present. Snake bite marks were found on Atul’s hand and leg. Initially, it appeared to be a case of accidental death due to snake bite,” an officer said.
Meanwhile, Atul’s father, Ajab Singh, has accused his daughter-in-law of killing his son.
“Police have launched an investigation based on the family’s allegations. During the investigation, officers found out that Tusshar was working as a school bus driver for the last three months and was involved in an extramarital affair with Damini,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Avinash Pandey said.
“Further investigation led the police to conclude that the victim’s death was the result of a premeditated murder and not a natural snake bite incident,” Pandey said.
