Puri: A snake catcher died after being bitten by a king while shooting a reel and photos with the venomous reptile at his home in Puri district of Odisha.
The deceased has been identified as Tapan Kumar Pradhan, a resident of Kanthapur village under Puri Sadar police station limits. He was known for catching venomous snakes. His videos of playing with snakes had earlier gone viral on social media.
After being bitten by the cobra, Tapan was rushed to hospital in Puri, where doctors declared him dead. Police have launched an investigation into the incident.
The incident occurred on Friday afternoon when Tapan was handling a cobra on the veranda of his house while filming a reel. During the filming, the snake bit him on his fingers, elbow and upper arm.
His family members rushed him to a private hospital nearby and later shifted him to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) in Puri. However, doctors declared him dead upon arrival.
Tapan was reportedly active on Instagram, where he frequently uploaded videos and reels featuring snakes.