Patna: A young man has died in Bihar after being advised by a self-styled healer to let a snake bite him in the same place it had bitten earlier.
The bizarre incident took place at Narayanpur village, Bhagalpur district, some 220 kilometres east of Patna, a few days ago but video footage only came to light on Saturday.
Reports said the victim, identified as Tiro Singh, son of Puran Singh, would routinely catch deadly snakes and play with them.
Recently, he had caught a deadly cobra with which he would play. Witnesses said he would often hold the snake around his neck, sleep with it and would often tease it at the demand of the local villagers.
Early this week, the cobra bit him after which his family members took him to a local traditional healer who suggested them to let the cobra bite him in the same place it had bitten earlier.
“But soon after this act was repeated, the youth’s condition deteriorated,” witnesses said.
Subsequently, the self-styled healer performed some rituals for the next 48 hours, while claiming to be curing the youth of the snake bite, but his condition deteriorated further.
Eventually, the family members took the victim to a local doctor but he was declared dead on arrival.
A similar incident was reported from Gopalganj district last year, indicating how superstitious beliefs are still deep-rooted in this part of society.
Rajanti Devi, wife of Naresh Choube, was doing some work at home when a deadly snake bit her.
Hearing her cries, the family members rushed to the spot and held the snake which was still around.
Witnesses said soon after holding the reptile, the family members asked the victim woman to bit the snake which she did multiple times, leaving it badly wounded. Ultimately, the reptile died.
The family members did it perhaps with the belief that it would lessen the impact of poison on the victim. But as her condition deteriorated, they rushed her to a local hospital along with the snake in a bag but the victim died soon thereafter.
