Two elderly women in Kerala died from snakebites, raising the recent death toll to seven. The incidents occurred in Kannur and Idukki districts, prompting investigations and warnings about snakes seeking cooler environments during soaring temperatures.
A four-year-old girl in Kerala died after being bitten by an Indian spectacled cobra while playing. The incident occurred when she tried to retrieve a ball near a burrow where the snake was hiding. Despite being rushed to the hospital and receiving ventilator support, she succumbed to the snakebite.
A 19-year-old woman in Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh, was allegedly beaten to death by her father and two brothers for returning home late at night. The accused attempted to cover up the murder by faking a snakebite and cremating her body, but police arrested four individuals, including the father, brothers, and one brother's wife, after they confessed to the crime.
In a first for Assam, a man has survived a confirmed king cobra bite, thanks to rapid medical intervention despite the absence of species-specific antivenom.
A man in Meerut, India, was found dead in his home with a venomous snake near his body, initially leading investigators to believe he died of a snakebite. However, a post-mortem report revealed he had been strangled, leading to the arrest of his wife and her lover. The woman confessed to planning and carrying out the murder with her lover, who was a friend of her husband. They placed the snake near the body to make it look like an accident. The couple had been in a relationship, and the husband had discovered their affair, leading to arguments.
Concerned about this situation, WHO, in collaboration with leading Indian experts, is in the process of formulating a 'National Protocol' for management of snakebites in India.
Meet Gerry Martin, the first Indian to be selected as a National Geographic Adventurer.