Man dies of snakebite in Chhattisgarh; villagers burn reptile alive on his funeral pyre

NEW DELHI: A 22-year-old man died after a venomous snake bit him in Chhattisgarh's Korba district, following which locals burnt the reptile alive on his funeral pyre. After the incident on Sunday, some locals said they feared the snake might harm someone else also, hence they burnt it on the pyre.
Upon being bitten, Rathiya informed his family and was immediately taken to a government hospital in Korba.Despite receiving treatment, he passed away on Sunday morning. After the postmortem, the body was returned to the family for cremation.
Locals caught the snake and placed it in a basket. During Rathiya's funeral procession, the villagers carried the snake to the cremation site and burned it on the funeral pyre. A video of this incident, showing villagers dragging the snake with a rope, has surfaced on social media.
Some villagers expressed fear that the snake could harm others, which led to their decision to burn it.
Korba's Sub-Divisional Officer Ashish Khelwar stated, “No action will be taken against the villagers for killing the snake.” He highlighted the importance of educating people about snakes and snakebite management, emphasising that reptiles are crucial for the ecosystem.