After 'Blue Drum Verdict', Court Gives Death Sentence To Snakebite Murder Couple

A Meerut court on Friday sentenced a woman and her lover to death for strangling her husband and placing a live snake beside his body to make the killing look like a snakebite.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Jaiveer Singh Nagar awarded the death penalty to Ravita Kashyap, 30, and Amardeep, 23, for murdering Amit Kashyap, 32, court officials said. Defence counsel Omkar Bhati said they would appeal against the judgment.

The court had convicted the two of murder and conspiracy on October 7. Ravita was already in judicial custody, while Amardeep, who had been on bail, was taken into custody after the conviction.

Snake Placed Beside Body To Conceal Murder

Amit worked laying tiles and stone in Akbarpur Sadat village. According to the prosecution, Amardeep worked with him and regularly visited his home, where he developed a relationship with Ravita.

The prosecution said the two planned the murder after Amit learnt about their relationship. They bought a snake from a snake charmer for Rs 1,000, claiming they needed it for worship at a devotional gathering.

On the night of April 12, 2025, Ravita called Amardeep to the house after Amit had fallen asleep. The two strangled him and released the snake on his bed, according to the prosecution. Amardeep then left, while Ravita slept in another room.

Amit was found dead the following morning with the snake near his body. Ravita told his family that he had died from a snakebite.

Post-Mortem Revealed Strangulation

Although relatives initially accepted Ravita’s account, marks on Amit’s neck raised suspicions. They insisted on a post-mortem examination, which established that he had been strangled.

The snake was also found to be non-venomous.

Police registered a case and questioned Ravita, who allegedly admitted to her involvement and disclosed her relationship with Amardeep. Both were subsequently arrested.

“The court sentenced both Ravita and Amardeep to death. The court examined 12 prosecution witnesses,” said Additional District Government Counsel Farzana Maqsood.

Amit and Ravita had three children. While announcing the sentence, the judge said the district magistrate would take responsibility for their care.

Second Death Sentence In Meerut Murder Case This Week

The sentencing came two days after Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla were awarded the death penalty for murdering Muskan’s husband, Saurabh Rajput, in a separate case in Meerut.

Rajput’s dismembered body was found concealed in a blue drum filled with cement at their home last year.

Ravita and Muskan are lodged in the same barrack, Barrack 2B, at Chaudhary Charan Singh District Jail.