A massive python, nearly 9 feet long, was spotted along a village road in Kailashpuri village near Gurla village in Bhilwara district, triggering panic among local residents. With the onset of the monsoon season, snakes, scorpions and other burrow-dwelling creatures often move out toward human settlements, and a similar scene played out in Kailashpuri. The moment the python was noticed, fear spread among nearby villagers and a crowd quickly gathered at the spot. To their credit, the villagers showed restraint, avoided any attempt to touch or provoke the python, and immediately alerted the forest department.
Rescue team swings into action
As soon as the information reached them, volunteers from the Civil Defence Department, led by wildlife rescuer Narayan Lal Bairwa, rushed to the spot on the instructions of forest guard Chandrapal Singh Ranawat. The team found the python curled up inside a large drain running alongside the road. Working with great caution and technical skill, the team began the process of extracting the python from the drain. Every precaution was taken during the rescue operation to ensure that neither the python nor any of the villagers gathered nearby came to harm. After some effort, the team safely captured the python. It was then handed over to forest department officials, who transported and released it in a nearby protected forest area under their supervision. The cooperation of the villagers present at the scene played an important role in the success of the operation, as they helped the team reach the python and kept the crowd under control. Once the rescue was complete, Bairwa also used the opportunity to raise awareness among the gathered villagers about wildlife conservation, appealing to them that if any wild animal is spotted in a residential area in the future, the forest department should be informed immediately instead of the animal being harmed.
How dangerous is the Indian Rock Python
According to Narayan Lal Bairwa, the python found in Kailashpuri belongs to the Indian Rock Python species. This species is known for its massive size, though it is non venomous. Bairwa said that the Indian Rock Python can grow up to 20 feet in length, and it is this sheer size that makes it appear so dangerous and powerful. The real risk from this species comes not from venom but from its strength and scale. This is why the Indian Rock Python is granted full protection under Schedule-1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which means capturing, killing or harming the species is a punishable offence under the law. That legal protection is likely why the villagers of Kailashpuri chose not to take matters into their own hands and instead called in the forest department, and the quick, careful response from the Civil Defence Department team ensured a major mishap was averted in time.
