Indian Man Bites and Kills Snake After It Attacked Him; Is It Effective in Neutralizing the Venom?

(Photo : Getty Images/ Gerardo Huitrón)

A young Indian man bit a snake three times after it attacked him, killing it, motivated by a local superstition.

A Dangerous Encounter

In Bihar, India, near the city of Nawada, work was underway to build railway lines. One of the workers is Santosh Lohar, a 35-year-old man from Panduka in Latehar district, Jharkhand.

On the evening of July 2, all laborers had retired to sleep in their base camps after work, when Lohar had the fatal encounter. A snake suddenly attacked Lohar as he was sleeping.

Lohar responded by catching the snake and biting it back twice. The reptile died instantly due to that. The species of the snake which bit him is yet to be confirmed.

After the incident, Lohar was rushed to the hospital by his coworkers. He was kept overnight and responded well to medical treatment.

Following the incident, there has been a discussion among other laborers who believe that the snake might not have been venomous at all.

There is a local superstition in parts of India stating that the poison from a snakebite will be transferred back into the reptile by biting a snake. According to Lohar, a superstition prevails in his village that if bitten by a snake, one should retaliate by biting it three times.

In some parts of India, there is a huge variety of different snake species, many of which are highly venomous. The most dangerous snakes in the country are the Indian cobra or the spectacled cobra, saw scaled viper, Russell's viper, and the common krait.

They are occasionally called the "Big Four" due to their potent venom and proportion of snake bite injuries. Notably, India is also home to venomous species such as the banded krait and King cobra.

A 2020 study reveals that around 1.11 to 1.77 million snake bites occur in India every year. From 2000 to 2019, there are about 1.2 million snakebite deaths in the country.

Snake Bite vs Human Bite

If a human does bite a snake, the latter may suffer a little injury and nothing else may happen. The former may get some allergic reaction or, worst, lose consciousness. A human won't die after biting a venomous snake in any of its body parts.

This is because the snake venom is just a special saliva stored in a snake's gland. For that special saliva to turn into venom, the reptile has to bite the human; otherwise, it is just a protein-like substance. Moreover, the venom reacts only when it gets through the bloodstream.

In case of a snakebite, it is advisable to seek rapid medical help. Fast, prompt medical attention reduces complications and lowers the risk of long-term disability or death.

After being bitten, a person should leave the area immediately and remove jewelry before swelling starts. It also helps to take a picture of the snake so that it can be identified for treatment.

The affected limb should also not be moved and be kept in a still position. No one should ever try to suck out the venom.