In an unusual emergency effort in the Arwal police station area of Hardoi district, Uttar Pradesh, two brothers resorted to slapping their sibling over 150 times to prevent him from slipping into deep unconsciousness following a venomous snakebite. The patient, who runs a local general store in Tikar village, was attacked by a snake concealed beneath a counter. Timely medical intervention, involving a total of 20 doses of anti-venom across two healthcare facilities, combined with relentless family efforts to keep him conscious, ultimately saved his life.
Bitten Under The Counter While Closing Shop
The victim, identified as 35-year-old Abhay Singh, also known as Ramu, resides in Tikar village where he operates an establishment named Ramu Mobile and General Store. Around 8:00 PM on the night of Tuesday, September 29, Abhay was wrapping up his daily business operations and preparing to pull down the shutters. Unbeknownst to him, a snake was lurking under the store counter, which suddenly struck him on the leg. Upon glancing downwards, Abhay spotted the reptile and immediately notified his father, Ravindra Pratap, prompting family members to mobilize for urgent medical care.
Emergency Treatment And 20 Anti-Venom Injections
Abhay was initially rushed to the Harpalpur Community Health Centre (CHC). Medical personnel at the primary facility initiated immediate emergency protocol and administered 10 anti-venom injections. As the patient showed little clinical improvement, attending doctors referred him to the Hardoi Medical College at approximately 10:30 PM for advanced critical care.
Upon reaching the district medical facility, the emergency team led by on-duty physician Dr. Shaban Ahmad took charge of the patient. The medical team administered another 10 anti-venom injections, taking the cumulative dosage to 20 injections between the community health centre and the medical college. During the critical phase of treatment, the venom induced severe drowsiness, causing Abhay to repeatedly drift towards unconsciousness. Dr. Shaban Ahmad and his medical staff advised the family members that the patient must be kept conscious at all costs, warning that slipping into sleep could prove fatal.
Brothers Strive For An Hour To Keep Patient Awake
Acting on the doctors' guidance, Abhay's younger brothers, Raman and Aniruddha, took charge of ensuring he did not fall asleep. Over the span of roughly an hour, both siblings continuously shook, talked to, and delivered more than 150 slaps to Abhay to counter the overwhelming stupor caused by the venom. The medical team maintained close clinical monitoring for nearly three hours in the hospital, following which the patient's vitals stabilized and he regained complete alertness.
Medical authorities later confirmed to the family that Abhay had crossed the danger threshold and was recuperating steadily. Although preparations were in place to transfer him to King George's Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow had his condition deteriorated, the timely response and treatment at the Hardoi Medical College made an emergency transfer unnecessary.
