The death of a government school lab assistant due to a suspected snakebite near Tiruttani has turned out to be a murder committed for an insurance claim, a police investigation has revealed. Police found that the victim’s sons killed him by orchestrating a snake bite to claim insurance money.
On October 22, the police in Pothatturpettai Police Station received information about the death of E.P. Ganesan, 56, due to an alleged snake bite at Pothatturpettai village in Tiruttani Sub-Division. Accordingly, a case was registered for unnatural death on a complaint of his son G. Mohanraj, 29, and an investigation was taken up. At the initial stage, the incident was made to appear as an accidental snake bite death, investigators said.
An insurance company filed a complaint with the Inspector General of Police, North Zone Asra Garg quoting suspicion on the bonafide of the claims made by family members of the deceased. The family made a claim for ₹ 3 crore. A special investigation team led by C. Jaishree, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Gummidipoondi Sub-Division, comprising two inspectors, two sub-inspectors, and other police personnel in Tiruvallur district was formed.
Mr. Garg said detailed verification further revealed that the family had availed multiple loans. Further, the family had also subscribed to several high value insurance policies. The disproportionate level of liabilities and multiple insurance coverages, when compared with known sources of income of the family, raised grave suspicion regarding the actual cause of death. The investigation finally revealed that the two sons of the deceased, Mohanraj and Hariharan, had planned to murder their father with the motive of claiming insurance proceeds, said Mr. Garg.
