R B Jagadish
Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala (SP)

Karkala, Jan 17: Anand Anchan (61) from Pattonjikatte in the town, who had been helping the people around the region by catching poisonous and non-poisonous snakes which appeared in their houses and other premises, and releasing them into forests since the last several decades, lost his life to a snakebite.

File Photos

Anchan was bitten by a serpent when he had visited a house at Biloor Kaudoor near here for catching it at the request of the family living there. Anchan reportedly did not take enough precautions and took the incident casually, having undergone such experiences in the past, but that proved to be his undoing. His end came unexpectedly.

Anand had left home on Monday evening after getting a call on his cellphone from a family living in Bailoor Kaudoor. When he was trying to catch the serpent holed up in a house there, the reptile that was restless and panicky, suddenly attacked him and bit him with its fangs. Although Anand used to always keep with him certain native medicines to save himself in case of snakebites, he had by oversight, not taken them along when going out on Monday, it is gathered.

The locals asked Anchan to immediately get treatment for the snake bite, but he chose to directly return to the down instead of going to the doctor. After sometime, the poison spread in his body and he began to suffer from symptoms of poisoning. He visited a private hospital, and was injected with anti-venomous preparation, after which he returned home. Sometime thereafter, he suddenly collapsed and breathed his last.

In the past too, Anchan had been bitten by snakes, but every time he had recovered with the use of native medicines. He had lost one of his fingers to snake bite when trying to rescue a serpent that was writhing after getting stuck in hot tar on the road a few years back. Even then he had looked after the injured snake for several days, treated it, and then released it into a safe forest area. This initiative had hit the headlines then.

In addition to catching of snakes, Anand Anchan also used to dispense native medicines to treat snake bites. It was common for the people to think of him and seek help from Anchan every time they felt threat from snakes. Anand never demanded for payment of hefty sums. The locals rue the fact that Anchan, who helped people to get relief from snakes and snake bites, sadly became a victim of snakebite himself.