A venomous snake that had been hiding inside the foam padding of a helmet turned an ordinary night into tragedy for a family in Maharajganj, Uttar Pradesh. The snake bit a mother and her son as they slept on a bed, killing the 11-year-old boy and leaving the mother hospitalized.
How the attack unfolded
A helmet had been lying inside the house for some time, with no one aware that a venomous snake had made its way into the foam lining. Eleven-year-old Arpit was asleep beside his mother on the bed that night when the snake emerged and bit him on the finger. The boy screamed out in pain.
Mother bitten while trying to help
Hearing her son's cries, the mother woke up instantly and grabbed the snake to pull it away from him. In the struggle, the snake bit her on the cheek as well, meaning both mother and son were now exposed to the venom within moments of each other.
Family rushed to a temple instead of a hospital
In panic, relatives first took the mother and son to the Gazipur Sati Mata temple rather than heading straight to a hospital. The delay proved costly, and Arpit died before proper treatment could begin. The grieving family returned home with his body, and soon afterward the mother's condition worsened. She was then admitted to the nearest hospital for treatment.
Snake found and captured inside the helmet
Word of the incident spread quickly through the village, and residents called in a wildlife rescuer. A search led straight back to the helmet, where the venomous snake was found still hiding inside the foam and was safely captured. Police also reached the spot and opened an investigation. The incident took place in Madhubani village, under the Chowk police station area of Maharajganj.
