One-Year-Old Boy Bites Snake to Death After It Coils Around His Hand in India
Toddler survives cobra encounter after killing the snake with a bite; doctors say timely treatment saved his life.
- Toddler bites and kills cobra that wrapped around his hand.
- Child fainted but recovered after prompt medical attention
- India sees high rates of snakebite deaths, especially in Bihar
In a jaw-dropping incident from Bettiah, a small town in Bihar near the Indo-Nepal border, a one-year-old boy named Govinda reportedly bit a cobra to death after the venomous snake coiled around his hands.
According to local news sources, Govinda was playing near his home when the cobra wrapped itself around him. Before adults nearby could intervene, the toddler instinctively bit the snake, killing it instantly.
“We saw the snake around his hand and rushed to him, but by the time we got there, he had already bitten it,” his grandmother told local reporters.
Following the incident, Govinda fainted and was immediately taken to a primary health centre. He was later referred to the Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH) in Bettiah for specialized care.
“The venom had a mild effect, just enough to knock him unconscious,” said Dr. Saurabh Kumar of the government hospital. “Thanks to timely treatment, his life was saved.”
Hospital officials report that Govinda is currently stable and under close medical observation. Doctors are monitoring him for any delayed symptoms of poisoning, although no severe complications have been reported yet.
India is home to about 300 snake species, with 60 considered highly venomous. The Indian cobra is among the “big four” snakes responsible for most of the snakebite-related fatalities in the country.
According to a 2020 study published in eLife, over one million snakebite deaths occurred in India between 2000 and 2019, with Bihar being one of the most affected states.
