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Chhattisgarh: Man dies after snake bite, locals burn reptile on his pyre
Local residents voiced concerns that the snake might endanger others, leading them to burn it on the funeral pyre of the man who died from its bite.
After a 22-year-old man died from a venomous snake bite in Chhattisgarh's Korba district, locals set the snake ablaze on his funeral pyre on Sunday, news agency PTI reported. A video circulating on social media shows individuals dragging the reptile with a rope.
Some residents expressed concerns that the snake could pose a threat to others, prompting them to burn it on the pyre. A district official noted the importance of educating the public about these reptiles and proper snake bite management.
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Here's what happened
According to the PTI report, an official said that a common krait bit a man named Digeshwar Rathiya on Saturday night while he was arranging his bed in a room at his home in Baigamar village.
After being bitten, Rathiya promptly alerted his family members, who rushed him to a government hospital in Korba. But he died on Sunday morning while receiving treatment, the official said.
Following the postmortem examination, the body was handed over to his family for cremation, the official added.
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After the incident, the villagers caught the snake and placed it inside a covered basket. They then tied the snake with a rope and suspended it from a stick.
As the funeral procession for Rathiya made its way from his home to the crematorium, the villagers also dragged the snake along to the location, a clip of which later surfaced on social media. Later they set the snake on fire, burning it alive on Rathiya's funeral pyre.
Some villagers expressed their fear that the venomous snake could harm someone else, which led them to burn it on the pyre.
In response to inquiries about the incident, Korba's Sub-Divisional Officer, Ashish Khelwar, said that no action would be taken against the villagers for killing the snake.
He emphasised the importance of educating the public and raising awareness about snakes and snakebite management, noting that these reptiles play a crucial role in the ecosystem.
