The king cobra is the longest venomous snake in the world, popularly known for its raised hood and loud hissing sounds when cornered or when it is ready to attack.Imagining this snake in front of us sends chills down the spine, but it all came to a standstill when a massive King Cobra was found coiled and loudly hissing inside a bathroom of a family in Himachal Pradesh near Paonta Sahib. The video of the rescue quickly went viral on social media, as locals and viewers were stunned and impressed.
Giant King Cobra found in home toilet in Paonta Sahib
A nearly 10-foot-long king cobra gave a family the scare of their lives after it was found hiding in their household toilet at a home in Jamniwala, near Paonta Sahib in Sirmaur district. According to reports, the snake entered the house of Gurbaksh Singh, near a petrol pump on Bankua-Jamniwala Road, on September 28. The sight of such a huge venomous reptile in the toilet sent panic through the family and their neighbours.According to the Tribune, the family called Bhupendra Singh, popularly known as “Snake Man”, who reached the spot promptly and rescued the cobra without harming it.
Viral videos show the massive snake with a raised hood and giving loud hisses
Several videos of the incident went viral on social media, showing the snake rescuer Singh close to the snake, using a stick to push it towards the toilet exit while residents watched from outside, while the cobra resisted and raised its hood, and another man arrived with a bag to help Singh secure it, as seen in the video.After the rescue, Singh handed the snake over to the forest department. According to Himachal Dastak, a local news platform, once the cobra was found healthy, the forest department released it into its natural habitat in the Khara forest.Singh also warned people that the king cobra is among the most dangerous and potentially aggressive snakes, so no one should try to catch or kill it on their own. He advised residents to contact trained rescuers or the forest department instead, according to a Tribune report.
Who is Bupendra Singh
Singh, the 49-year-old, is originally from Mohali in Punjab and has lived in Paonta Sahib for nearly three decades. He claims to have rescued hundreds of snakes, with the aim of saving them rather than killing them. He told TOI, “I am a contractor with a pharmaceutical company in Paonta Sahib and also teach Gatka (traditional Sikh martial art) in Gurdwara Paonta Sahib.” He has been rescuing snakes for 27 years, including venomous species like the king cobra, Russell’s viper and common krait. The forest department has also given him a professional snake-catching kit.