Daijiworld Media Network - Thiruvallur

Thiruvallur, Dec 20: What initially appeared to be a tragic snake bite death of a government school lab assistant in Thiruvallur district has been revealed as a meticulously planned murder orchestrated by the man’s own sons and their friends to claim an insurance payout of Rs 3 crore.

The deceased, 56-year-old Ganesan, a lab assistant at the Government Girls Higher Secondary School, was reportedly bitten by a snake at his residence on October 22. However, the delay in seeking medical assistance raised suspicion among the authorities. Ganesan’s sons, Mohanraj and Hariharan, reportedly waited for 45 minutes before arranging transport to a government hospital, prompting police to probe further.

Investigators found that within 15-20 minutes of Ganesan being declared dead at the hospital, his sons contacted the insurance company to inquire about claiming the insurance, casting further doubts over the accidental nature of the death.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by DSP Jayashree, scrutinised the case, including insurance documents, and discovered that Ganesan held 11 insurance policies across multiple companies, with four life policies worth a combined Rs 3 crore. The SIT’s meticulous investigation led to the arrest of six accused, including the lab assistant’s sons and their associates, all of whom confessed to the crime.

Police revealed that this was not the first attempt on Ganesan’s life. Ten days prior, the accused had attempted a similar act, but Ganesan survived the snake bite. In the fatal incident, the perpetrators used a highly venomous common krait, ensuring it bit Ganesan on the neck before killing the snake to mask the murder as an accident.

All six accused have been charged with murder and are currently lodged in Puzhal Prison, as authorities continue to unravel the details of this chilling conspiracy.