Indian software engineer, 41, dies after venomous snake hides in his footwear

A 41-year-old software engineer in Bengaluru died on Saturday after being bitten by a venomous snake that had slithered into his footwear. The victim, Manju Prakash, was an employee of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and a resident of Ranganatha Layout in Bannerghatta, The Indian Express reported.

Prakash returned home around 12:45 pm after visiting a sugarcane shop. He was wearing a pair of Crocs sandals, which he left outside his room before going inside to rest. Nearly an hour later, a labourer visiting the house noticed a dead snake lying next to the footwear.

According to family members cited by The Indian Express, they suspected the reptile might have been inside the sandals and rushed to check on Prakash. He was found unresponsive on his bed, with foam around his mouth and a bleeding leg.

Prakash had previously suffered an accident that resulted in loss of sensation in his leg, preventing him from feeling the snakebite. Unaware of the danger, he had removed his footwear and gone inside to rest.

A family worker later alerted Prakash’s father after noticing the snake inside the slipper. The reptile was found dead, likely having died of suffocation inside the Crocs, a family member told The Indian Express.

Prakash was immediately rushed to a private hospital, where doctors declared him dead upon arrival. His brother recounted the sequence of events to The Indian Express:

“On returning home, Prakash went to his room and slept. After nearly an hour, a labourer who visited our house noticed a snake just outside the pair of Crocs. Upon checking, it was found that the snake was dead.”

The incident has raised alarm among local residents about the presence of snakes in residential areas, particularly during the monsoon season. Experts have urged caution, advising people to inspect footwear and dark corners of homes, especially near greenery or during rainy weather.