Nagpur is under the grip of a deadly snakebite surge — with 11 reported cases in just 10 days, leaving two people dead. From July 31 to August 10, victims have been rushed to Government Medical College & Hospital, AIIMS Nagpur, and Gillurkar Hospital in Sakkardara, but not everyone made it out alive.
The youngest victim, 16-year-old Om Yerunkar, died during treatment at AIIMS after being bitten by a venomous snake. In another tragic case, 82-year-old Chandrabagha Bhusari lost her life after her family, ignoring doctors, took her to a “mantrik” for herbal treatment — a fatal mistake.
Most attacks involved cobras and Russell’s vipers (locally called ghonas), with patients ranging from teenagers to elderly citizens. Wildlife experts warn that the monsoon has increased human-snake encounters as waterlogging forces snakes into residential areas.
Nitish Bhandakkar, secretary of the Wildlife Welfare Society, has issued a blunt warning: “Do NOT waste precious time on herbs or magic rituals. Only Anti-Snake Venom works, and it’s available in government hospitals. Delay kills.”
The message is clear — every minute counts in a snakebite. Nagpur’s hospitals have the antidote, but superstition is costing lives. If this dangerous trend continues, more families will be left mourning preventable deaths.
The battle is not just against snakes, but against deadly ignorance.
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