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Meerut farmer’s courtyard turns serpent nest, 52 snakes killed in fear
The incident unfolded at the residence of farmer Mahfooz Saifi, who first spotted a 1.5-foot-long snake in the open area (gher) near his house early Sunday morning. Saifi killed the snake out of fear, unaware that dozens more were hidden below the ramp at his front door.
As many as 52 snakes crawled out from beneath a ramp in a farmer’s courtyard in Meerut’s Simauli village on Sunday, triggering panic among residents and leading to their killing. The incident, captured in a purported video that went viral on social media, has prompted an investigation by the forest department.
The incident unfolded at the residence of farmer Mahfooz Saifi, who first spotted a 1.5-foot-long snake in the open area (gher) near his house early Sunday morning. Saifi killed the snake out of fear, unaware that dozens more were hidden below the ramp at his front door.
“By around 9 pm, a total of 52 snakes had come out,” Saifi told Hindustan Times. As the snakes continued to emerge, fear spread quickly through the village. Local residents gathered at the site and joined Saifi in killing and burying the snakes in a pit.
The video, widely shared online, triggered action from the forest department. Divisional forest officer (DFO) Rajesh Kumar confirmed that a team had reached Simauli on Monday to probe the matter. Kumar said that snakes are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and killing them is a punishable offence.
“It has come to light that the snakes were killed and buried without informing the department. They are protected creatures, and it is necessary to inform the forest department before taking any action,” Kumar said.
Preliminary investigations suggest the snakes were non-venomous, commonly found in waterlogged areas like drains, but the department is probing further to determine the exact number killed and the location of their burial.
The unusual occurrence has left Simauli residents shaken, with many still inspecting the area where the snakes appeared. While the forest department continues its inquiry, villagers remain anxious, uncertain if more reptiles remain beneath their homes.
