Woman jailed for poisoning dinner guests after they insulted her cooking

A woman has been jailed for poisoning her dinner guests because they insulted her cooking and complexion.

Pradnya Survase was arrested by Indian police last Friday after allegedly causing the death of five people attending a feast hosted by a relative. Police have said the 23-year-old confessed to adding the snake poison to the food. Her intent was to kill her husband and his relatives who she said regularly insult her cooking and dark complexion. Hindustan Times reports that 88 people who attended the feast were also hospitalised. Senior inspector Vishwajeet Kaingade said:

"Pradnya claims that since her marriage two years ago, she has been insulted regularly for her dark complexion and accused of not being able to cook well. “She has named her mother in-law, Sindhu Survase, husband Suresh Govind Survase, sisters in-law Ujwala Pawar and Jyoti Ashok Kadam, and her mother in-law’s sister Sarita Mane and Sarita’s husband, Subhash Mane for the alleged torture."

Pradnya also alleges that her husband's family has damaged her marriage by casting "aspersions on her character." She could face the death penalty.