Meerut, June 3: The village of Simauli here witnessed a startling sight in which over 100 live snakes crawled out of the courtyard of a farmer's house, sparking panic and fear among the locals. But fear was soon replaced with grit as the villagers joined the farmer and his family in killing over 50 snakes and burying them in a pit on Sunday night. Forest Department Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Rajesh Kumar told PTI on Monday that a team was dispatched to the spot for investigation after a video of the incident went viral on social media.

However, the snakes turned out to be creatures protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. "It has come to light that snakes were killed and buried in the ground without informing (the department). They are protected creatures and it is necessary to inform the Forest Department before taking any action," Kumar said. Preliminary investigations indicate that the snakes were non-poisonous, often found in water, and typically reside in locations such as drains. "The departmental team is on the spot and is interrogating the villagers," the DFO said. Snake on Train: Panic on Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express As Serpent Found in Toilet, Rescued and Thrown Out of Moving Train by Railway Staff; Video Goes Viral.

Mahfooz Saifi, the farmer, was preparing for bed when he spotted a snake in his courtyard. After killing it, he was alarmed to see more snakes emerging one after another. Soon, news of the incident spread through the village and a large number of locals gathered at the spot. As the snakes kept crawling out from under a ramp near the door of the farmer's house, the villagers stepped in to kill the snakes. Meanwhile, the forest department is investigating how many snakes were killed and where they were buried. Snake Under Pillow in Nagpur: Cobra Found Under Pillow in Maharashtra Home, Family Narrowly Escapes Danger (Watch Video).

Hundreds of Snakes Emerge From Courtyard of Farmer’s House

 

 Over 100 Snakes Emerge From Courtyard Of Farmer’s House

They have also appealed to the public to immediately inform the forest department about any such incidents and to refrain from harming protected animals.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)