Nabarangpur Jul 1 : Playing with a cobra caused critical injuries to a youth in Papadahandi block of Nabarangpur district today.
The youth, Madhab Gauda from Patri village under Jatabala gram panchayat under Papadahandi block was spotted in inebriated condition playing with a cobra near Jambaguda Chhak.
Seeing Gauda, bypassers gathered around him who was holding the cobra and kissing it. They pleaded Gauda to release the poisonous snake. Even though the cobra was biting Gauda and his mouth was filled with blood due to poison, the man did not let the serpent go.
Some onlookers lured Gauda with money and asked him to release the cobra. Following this, he released the serpent. But, he became critical and was wreathing under pain.
The villagers immediately took Gauda in an ambulance and admitted him to the Papadahandi Community Health Centre. He was then shifted to the Nabarangpur district headquarters hospital as his condition worsened.