By then, local residents had gathered at the house and, police said, several reported seeing a snake in the room. Damini told police that because of the summer heat, she and their son had slept outside while Atul slept in the room.

Atul was rushed to the Community Health Centre in Hastinapur, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

The case might have ended there as another accidental snakebite death. Instead, a series of questions raised by the victim’s family set police on a path that would expose a far more chilling story involving Atul’s wife, her alleged lover, two snake charmers and a Rs 20 lakh life insurance policy.

The accused, Damini, in police custody. (Express Photo)

Suspicions surface

Atul’s family took his body to their village in Bhandora, Meerut, for the last rites. His father, however, was suspicious and insisted on a post-mortem examination despite Damini’s objections.

Police then sent the body for an autopsy and began reconstructing the events leading up to Atul’s death. They analysed phone records, interviewed people close to the family, and found that Damini had been in frequent contact with a man named Tushar alias Nikky (35), a driver employed at the school.

When confronted with the evidence, police said, Damini broke down and allegedly admitted to plotting her husband’s murder with Tushar, her alleged lover.

Four people — Damini, Tushar, and two snake catchers, Sonu and Uday Kumar, in their 30s — have been arrested in connection with the case, Additional Superintendent of Police (Meerut) Abhijeet Kumar said.

A crime unravels

According to police, on Thursday night, Damini first mixed sleeping pills into Atul’s milk before he went to bed. After he fell into a deep sleep, she allegedly called Tushar, who arrived at the house with Sonu and Uday and the snake they helped procure.

Police alleged that Sonu and Uday released the snake onto Atul’s bed, which then bit him. They then allegedly left the reptile on the bed to make the death appear accidental.

Tushar allegedly told police that he and Damini had been in a relationship for a long time and had conspired to kill Atul.

Police said the investigation suggests the alleged motive was Damini’s affair as well as Atul’s Rs 20 lakh life insurance policy. They claimed that Damini and Tushar had agreed to pay Sonu and Uday Rs 5 lakh from the insurance proceeds for their role in the alleged murder. Police claimed the two snake catchers had already been paid Rs 15,000 in advance.

Police further claimed this was not the first attempt on Atul’s life.

About 20 days before his death, Tushar deliberately rammed Atul’s motorcycle with a car in an attempt to kill him. Atul survived the collision with minor injuries because he was wearing a helmet. When Tushar later informed Damini that the attempt had failed, she allegedly discouraged Atul from pursuing a police complaint, saying there was little point because the vehicle’s registration number had not been identified.