Tit for tat: Nepali man bites cobra to death

Biting a man proved costly for a cobra as Mohammad Salmo Miya, resident of a village in Morang district in eastern Nepal, attacked a white cobra measuring nearly six feet when the reptile was fleeing after biting him. Utpal Parashar reports.

Updated on: Aug 23, 2012, 23:10:58 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Biting a man proved costly for a cobra in Nepal as the victim bit the snake back in a fit of rage -- killing the poisonous serpent.

Mohammad Salmo Miya, resident of a village in Morang district in eastern Nepal attacked the white cobra measuring nearly six feet on Tuesday when the reptile was fleeing after biting him.

The 55-year-old was watering his field around 7:30pm when the snake bit him on his right leg, Annapurna Post reported on Thursday.

“I got angry after the white cobra bit me. Then I caught of the fleeing snake and bit it to death,” Miya told the daily.

“I could have killed the snake with a stick but anger and the local belief that snake venom doesn’t affect a victim if the person is able to bite the snake to death made me take the step,” he added.

Miya has become a local celebrity following the incident with people from nearby villages flocking his village to see him and the serpent and pose for photos as well.

Following his act of bravado, the villager had gone to the local health post to get medical care. But it seems that won’t be necessary as his condition is stated to be normal.

Cobra is one of the most poisonous snakes and its bite can be lethal for adult humans. Nearly 200 people are estimated to die in Nepal every year due to snake bite.

The country is witnessing a severe scarcity of anti-snake venom in hospitals this summer and newspaper reports say snake bite victims have died due to non-availability of the drug.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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