Lonavala Nostra Villa Controversy: Staff Kills Snake Inside Room, Family Alleges Threats; Video Surfaces
A family visiting Nostra Villa in Lonavala shared a video of staff killing a snake inside their room. The guest reported receiving threats and no apology. Under India's Wildlife Protection Act, killing snakes is illegal. 'No guilt no apology just some threats saying do whatever you want,' the woman said in her post on Instagram.
An incident involving wildlife safety has drawn attention to the popular hill station of Lonavala, following reports of a snake being killed at the Nostra Villa property. The occurrence highlights ongoing challenges regarding human-animal coexistence in heavily forested tourist destinations across the Western Ghats.
Incident Details and Property Background
Nostra Villa, a prominent private villa and resort property located near the scenic hill tracks of Lonavala, is frequently visited by tourists seeking seclusion amidst dense green cover. Due to the property's close proximity to the surrounding Western Ghats valleys and heavy forest vegetation, local encounters with wildlife, including reptiles, are not uncommon. Management and local authorities have repeatedly reminded visitors to exercise caution when exploring peripheral outdoor areas.
Staff Kills Snake at Nostra Villa in Lonavala
A family which recently visited the villa reported that a snake was killed during their stay at the property. A woman identified as Neha shared a video on Instagram about the incident. "Came to create memories, left with shaken hearts," she wrote in her post. In the video, the staff of the property can be seen killing a snake during Neha's stay.
The Woman Replied To User on Instagram
While responding to a user's comment, Neha said, "we had researched, we saw all the reviews. We compared several properties but finalized this one even though it was over priced due to the rating. But after this incident, after seeing that snake getting killed in the room, how can we stay in the room. Also we expected some empathy or good manner of speaking after such type of incident. The response we got that this is a common case and they kill snakes regulary and we shouldnt have brought children."
She further added. "No guilt no apology just some threats saying do whatever you want. So we dont want other customers especially parents to experience this". Meanwhile, it must be noted that it is completely illegal to kill any species of snake in India. Snakes are protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 24, 2026 10:49 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).