Andhra Pradesh: Cobra bite kills youth who wrapped snake around the neck

HYDERABAD: A 24-year-old youth who wrapped a Cobra around his neck and then tried to scare away bystanders was killed after the snake had bitten him on Monday at Mangalampadu near Sullurpet of Nellore district in Andhra Pradesh. The video of the episode taken by one of the victim’s friends went viral on Tuesday.


The deceased has been identified as Ch Jagadeesh, a resident of Mangalampadu. Sullurpet police registered a case under 304 part 2 (culpable homicide not amounting to the murder) against the drunk snake charmer who ‘encouraged’ the youth to wrap the

snake around the neck

. The incident happened on November 12 at 4.30pm at the Market Centre in Sullurpet town. The accused snake charmer has been identified as Gurunadham Ramesh alias Ramaiah, 50, a resident of Gadidavagu in Mutukur Mandal of Nellore district.

Sullurpet inspector of police Kishore Babu told TOI, "The snake charmer was collecting money from the public by displaying the cobra. He had removed the fangs and poison a few weeks ago. However, the snake developed the venom again. Unaware of this, the passerby, Jagadeesh, came to the snake charmer who handed over the snake to him. While Jagadeesh was holding the snake, the drunk charmer told him not to hold at snake's neck.”

The video shows that the snake charmer tried to put it on the neck of victim Jagadeesh who resisted initially, but later wrapped it around the neck with the help of snake charmer. Then Jagadeesh removed the snake from the neck and held it in his hands and tried to scare people around. Meanwhile, the snake bit him on the hand.

“Jagadeesh was shifted to government health care centre for treatment. Later, he was shifted to Sri City Hospital for better treatment. On his way to the hospital, he died. The victim’s relative complained,” Babu added.

Friends of Snake Society Chief Functionary Avinash Viswanathan said, "The fangs are nothing but maxillary teeth. Regeneration of fangs depends on the injury. If the injury is bad, they will never grow it again. If there is no injury to teeth gums, they can grow again in a month time. In this case, there could be two possibilities. First one, the snake may have developed fang again and bitten him. Or otherwise, if the venom gland is intact, the other teeth puncture the skin when bitten and the venom can enter from the cuts.”