Snake catcher in Rajasthan dies within minutes after being bitten by a cobra

A 45-year old snake catcher in Rajasthan died within minutes after being bitten by a venomous cobra. Vinod Tiwari had been catching snakes for nearly 20 years in Rajasthan's Churu district. Tiwari was allegedly bitten by the reptile when he was trying to rescue a cobra outside a shop.

The incident was captured on a CCTV camera nearby. The CCTV video shows Tiwari catching the cobra outside a shop in the Gogamedi area of Churu. Tiwari can be seen holding the snake in the video. In the video, he tried to put the snake inside a bag. The snake bites his finger when he tries to put it in a bag.

In the video, he can be seen uncomfortable after being bitten by the snake. He died minutes after being bitten by the venomous snake.


Tiwari was popularly known as the 'snake man' by locals for his careful handling of snakes, from catching them to leaving them safe in forest.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, about 5 million snakebites occur each year in India, resulting in up to 2.7 million envenoming. The WHO report suggest that between 81,000 and 138,000 deaths occur each year due to snakebites, while it causes as many as 400,000 amputations and other permanent disabilities.

As per another study by Indian Council of Medical Research – National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health and Public Health Department, 12 lakh snakebite deaths have reported from 2000 to 2019, an average of 58,000 per year.