Snake bites man in Bihar, he bites it back twice, guess who survived
In Bihar, a railway worker bit back a snake that had bitten him, believing it would reverse the venom's effect.
In a bizarre and unusual incident, a railway employee from Bihar turned the tables on a snake that bit him, by biting it back in the belief that this would counteract the venom. The snake died as a result, while the man survived after receiving prompt medical treatment, according to a report by the Times of India.
The Incident Unfolds:
Santosh Lohar, a 35-year-old railway worker, was laying tracks in a dense forested area of Rajauli. On a Tuesday night, after a long day's work, Lohar was preparing to sleep when he was suddenly bitten by a snake.
In a swift and unusual reaction, Lohar grabbed the snake and bit it twice, adhering to a local myth that doing so would reverse the venom's effect. This belief holds that by biting the snake back, the venom would somehow be transferred back to the reptile.
Timely Medical Intervention:
Fortunately, Lohar's colleagues acted quickly and rushed him to the Rajauli Subdivision Hospital. Dr. Satish Chandra Sinha treated him, and after an overnight stay, Lohar was discharged the following day. Dr. Sinha reported that Lohar responded well to the treatment, though the type of snake involved in the incident remains unknown.
Snakebite Statistics in India:
India faces a significant challenge with snakebites, with approximately 50,000 fatalities annually. The majority of these cases are attributed to the "big four" venomous snakes: the common krait, Indian cobra, Russell's viper, and saw-scaled viper, which account for around 90% of the estimated 3-4 million snakebites each year.