A video from Bihar's Gopalganj district is leaving people stunned after it showed a five-year-old boy calmly holding and playing with two enormous rat snakes at the same time. While most adults flinch at the mere mention of a snake, this young child's fearless act left everyone who witnessed it in disbelief.
Panic and curiosity grip Basdila in Nagar police station area
The incident took place at Navka Tola in Basdila, under the Nagar police station area of Gopalganj district. Chaos broke out along National Highway NH-27 when five-year-old Rizwan was spotted holding two large rat snakes together and playing with them by the roadside. Passersby were initially frightened at the sight of the hooded, long snakes in the boy's hands, but within minutes dozens of people gathered at the spot. Everyone in the crowd began recording the extraordinary scene on their mobile phones.
Rat snakes, often called dhaman locally, are among the longest snakes found in India. They are non-venomous, but their large size, quick movement and hood-like posture often make onlookers nervous. That is exactly why bystanders in Gopalganj were initially startled, and why the boy's fearlessness left them even more amazed once they realised what was happening.
Rizwan has been playing with snakes for four years
The boy's full name is Rizwan, and his father, Shamsher Ali, lives with the family at Navka Tola, Basdila, in the Nagar police station area. Rizwan says he has had a fascination with catching snakes since childhood and can rescue even the largest snakes without any fear. He caught both rat snakes carefully on this occasion and later released them safely without causing them any harm. I have been playing with snakes for about 4 years, Rizwan said, adding that he is not scared of snakes at all and enjoys doing this.
Onlookers call him a "brave kid", experts issue a warning
People present at the spot said they were amazed to see such courage in someone so young. Many praised him as a "brave kid", while some also advised him not to attempt such a risky act again. The video of Rizwan from Gopalganj has now gone viral on social media, with many users sharing it widely and reacting in mixed ways, some calling it natural talent and others calling it a dangerous habit.
Wildlife experts, however, have cautioned against this kind of behaviour. They say that whether a snake is venomous or non-venomous, no one should try to catch it or play with it, since even a small mistake can turn fatal. Notably, just a few days earlier in Bihar's Purnia district, an 18-year-old boy was bitten by a snake, and his mother sucked the venom out with her mouth to save him, though both mother and son remained in critical condition afterwards. The incident is a reminder of just how dangerous any carelessness around snakes can be, whether it involves an experienced handler or a young child.
