Man bites cobra to death after accidentally stepping on it in India

A young man in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district reportedly bit a cobra to death after accidentally stepping on the snake, apparently acting on a traditional belief that biting the reptile in return would prevent its venom from harming him.

The incident took place in the Laikera police station area when Dharamsingh Khadia, a resident of Karmapada village, was on his way to his field, according to media reports.

Khadia said he accidentally stepped on the cobra, which raised its hood and moved towards him. Instead of moving away, he caught the snake and bit its neck, reportedly tearing it with his teeth. The cobra died shortly afterwards.

Khadia later told people that a traditional healer had advised him that if a snake bites a person, biting the snake in return would prevent the venom from remaining in the body.

He subsequently began feeling unwell and was taken by his family to Govindpur Hospital. Doctors examined him and found his condition to be stable. He was kept under observation for 24 hours as a precaution.

Dharamsingh Khadia was kept under observation for 24 hours as a precaution.

Snakebite expert and Snake Helpline honorary secretary Suvendu Mallik said no snakebite marks were found on Khadia’s body.

“The man bit the snake’s neck, not its head. We need to examine the facts carefully,” Mallik said, warning that the advice to bite a snake after an attack was “completely false and extremely dangerous.”

Mallik also called for action against traditional healers who promote such practices, saying such beliefs could put people’s lives at risk.

Dr Satyaprakash Dora of the Sub-Divisional Hospital in Kuchinda said Khadia was fortunate that the snake did not bite him.

“He has done a wrong thing. You should not bite a cobra,” Dora said.

Experts stressed that there is no scientific basis for the belief that biting a snake can neutralise its venom. Snake venom cannot be rendered harmless by biting the snake, while attempting to catch or kill a snake can expose a person to further danger.

“A suspected snakebite should be treated as a medical emergency, and the victim should seek immediate medical attention rather than relying on traditional remedies or attempting to handle the snake,” said Dr Ashok Acharya, Director of Hi-Tech Medical College and Hospital in Bhubaneswar.

The incident has once again highlighted the dangers of relying on traditional remedies for snakebites and the importance of seeking immediate medical care after any suspected snakebite.