Sooraj, prime accused in the snakebite murder case, confessed to killing his wife Uthra at her residence in Anchal, Kollam on May 7. He owned up the murder when he was brought to his house for collecting evidence.

Sooraj had bought two venomous snakes for Rs 10,000 from an acquaintance and orchestrated the murder with a snakebite while Uthra was asleep.

After his first attempt on March 2 failed, he set out to finish the task again on May 7. Uthra was then recuperating at her parent's house after the first attack. As Sooraj was present on both occasions, her family members became suspicious.

Uthra’s parents filed a complaint with the police after it was found that the jewellery presented to their daughter also went missing.

Police found that Uthra's bank locker, jointly operated with Sooraj, was opened on March 2.

A Crime Branch probe also revealed Sooraj had prior experience handling snakes and had researched the topic on YouTube several times.

After rigorous interrogation, Sooraj, who first denied the allegations, had confessed to the crime then and to selling his wife's gold ornaments and splurging the money on lavish living and liquor.

Sooraj, Suresh (a snake-catcher from Kalluvathukkal) and another accomplice were taken into custody on May 24.

The Forest Department had also filed a case against them as per the Wildlife Protection Act.