A 48-year-old man stunned people in Bhagalpur, Bihar, on Oct 15, when he walked into a hospital with a Russell’s viper draped around his neck after being bitten by the venomous snake.
A video of the incident has gone viral on social media.
Mr Prakash Mandal, a resident of Mirachak village, then made his way around JLN Hospital with the deadly reptile gripped in his hand as patients and staff around him gasped in fear, reported India Today.
The video shows Mr Mandal, wearing a simple vest and dhoti, standing in the hospital’s emergency ward with the snake’s mouth clamped tightly by his hand.
To further prevent the venom from spreading, he had tied a cloth around his arm which restricted blood flow.
Other patients could be seen visibly panicking as they maintained a safe distance. A hospital worker then cautiously escorts Mr Mandal to another part of the hospital for everyone’s safety.
Mr Mandal, however, refused to let go of the snake even while lying on a stretcher. He finally relinquished it when doctors told him it would be difficult to treat him if he kept clutching the reptile.
According to The Hindu, the daily wage earner was sleeping at home when the viper attacked.
Alarmed and worried about receiving incorrect treatment, he caught hold of the snake and took it to the hospital so doctors could identify the species and treat him accordingly.
The snake was later handed over to the forest department.
The hospital superintendent K.K. Sinha said Mr Mandal is “partially stable”.
“We administered him anti-venom serum besides providing necessary treatment in the emergency ward, where he is currently admitted,” Dr Sinha told the Times of India. “We are constantly monitoring his health.”
The Russell’s viper is part of the “Big 4” group of snakes responsible for the most snake bites in India. The other three are the Indian cobra, common krait and saw-scaled viper.
According to NDTV, the incident involving Mr Mandal occurred in the flood-affected region of Bhagalpur, where sightings of venomous snakes like the Russell’s viper have become frequent.
A severe flood crisis grappled many parts of Bihar earlier this month. Following the floods, dangerous wildlife, including snakes and alligators, have been frequently spotted by residents.
