Toddler bites a snake to death? Here’s an interesting role reversal. A two-year-old boy in India shocked doctors and locals alike after surviving an encounter with a venomous cobra—by biting it to death.
The incident occurred in the state of Bihar, where the child, Govinda Kumar, was playing near his home when the three-foot cobra appeared and began wrapping around his hands. According to his grandmother, Mateshwari Devi, the toddler instinctively grabbed the snake and bit down on its head.
“We rushed toward him and saw he had the cobra’s head in his mouth,” she told local media. “We pulled the snake away, but it had already died, and the boy fell unconscious.”
The toddler had ingested some venom, though its effects were reportedly mild. After collapsing, he was taken first to a nearby health center and later transferred to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) Bettiah for specialist care. There, doctors monitored him closely for signs of venom poisoning.
Dr. Saurabh Kumar, a pediatric specialist at GMCH, confirmed that the venom had entered the boy’s digestive tract. “His face and mouth were swollen, but he remained active and alert. We administered anti-allergy medication and observed him for 48 hours,” Kumar said. “Since he showed no symptoms, he was discharged safely.”
Medical staff said this is the first time they’ve encountered a case where a toddler bites a snake instead of being bitten. The child’s actions resulted in the cobra’s immediate death, likely due to the trauma inflicted by his bite.
Cobra bites are typically life-threatening, but doctors believe the boy’s unusual counterattack may have saved his life. The hospital, which treats several snakebite cases monthly, described the situation as unprecedented.
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