A two-foot long snake found in the handbag of a woman tourist from Kerala, created a flutter in the lobby and reception hall of a hotel in this tourist town today.
A couple from Kochi had come to tour Nilgiris district and were at a resort in Mudumalai last night. They came to the hotel where they booked their room on Thursday.
As the woman opened her hand bag, a snake,later identified as non-venomous 'wolf' peeped out from it, creating panic in the reception.
As the staff behind the counter started screaming, panic spread to the lobby and verandah, they said.
Hearing about the incident, two volunteers from Save Snake, a service organisation arrived at the spot, and managed to catch the reptile.
It was not known how the snake came in the bag. The reptile would be handed over to the zoo or released in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, police said.