The family of a toddler in India are claiming that the little one killed a snake on his own. Little Govind Kumar allegedly bit a cobra before the snake had the chance to bite him. Not only that, but he survived the whole incident. India is known to have around 300 species of snakes, many of which are extremely venomous. Cobras are one of the snake species that abound. The boy’s family didn’t say if the boy was approached by the snake or if he sought it out, but either way, he’s expected to be fine.
The 1-year-old baby lives with his family in the small town of Bettiah, in the Indian state of Bihar, The Independent reported. The boy was playing at home when the snake incident occurred.
“When we saw the snake in the child’s hand, everyone rushed towards him, but in the meantime, he already bit the snake, killing it on the spot,” the boy’s grandmother told local news, per The Independent.
After he bit the snake, the little boy fainted. His family rushed him to a primary health care center, and he was then transferred to the local Government Medical College Hospital.
“The boy, Govind Kumar, was referred here yesterday by the primary health centre close to his village where he was rushed by family members after he fainted soon after chewing on the live snake,” Duvakant Mishra, the hospital’s superintendent, told Indian Express, according to The Independent.
Effects of the venom were allegedly mild, not fatal; the boy was only knocked unconscious.
“Timely treatment saved Govinda’s life,” doctor Saurabh Kumar told the Times of India.
“The child’s condition is currently stable and treatment is being administered under the supervision of doctors. The medical team is treating the child, providing continuous medication, and he is under observation,” Kumar continued.
If the boy begins to show signs of being poisoned, there is already a treatment plan in place, doctors say.
