A krait snake wreaked havoc in Jharkhand’s Garhwa district. Three children died of snakebite late Thursday night in Navanagar Tola of Chapkali village under China police station of the district and the condition of the fourth remains critical. He is undergoing treatment at Sadar Hospital. The death of three children simultaneously due to snakebite has created an uproar in the village. All the deceased were children of the same family.
Regarding the incident, the family members of the deceased children said that the area is infested with wild elephants. To avoid elephant attacks, all the family members were staying together at night. They also included 8-10 children. All the children were sleeping together on the floor in the same room. At around 1 o’clock in the night, four of the children were bitten by a snake.
After the incident, all the children were taken to a nearby village for exorcism. Two children, Panna Lal Korwa, the 15-year-old son of Bandhu Korwa and Kanchan Kumari, the 8-year-old daughter of late Ramlal Korwa, died there. While being taken to the hospital, Begi Kumari, the 9-year-old daughter of Suraj Dev Korwa of Dhurki police station also died on the way. Her six-year-old cousin Rakhi Kumari is undergoing treatment. All the children were sleeping together at the house of their grandparents Rijhan Korwa. Rijhan is the grandfather of the deceased Panna Lal and Kanchan.
Terror of elephants
Villagers said that these days there is terror of wild elephants in the village. Elephants are not only damaging crops by attacking but are also proving fatal for life and property. They are also damaging mud houses. Due to this fear, the villagers take shelter at safe places as soon as evening falls. Some go to sleep on the roof of the school and some go to someone’s house. In the same sequence, children used to sleep at Rijhan Korwa’s house due to fear of elephants. Rijhan is the grandfather of the deceased children. Eight to ten children of the family were continuously sleeping together at Rijhan’s house.
Children killed the snake after it bit them
On Thursday night also, like other days, everyone was sleeping together. During that time, a poisonous krait snake entered the house through the door. After that, it bit four children sleeping on the floor. During that time, the children woke up. Seeing the snake, everyone started shouting. After that, the children themselves killed the snake. After that, the children who were bitten by the snake also started falling unconscious one by one. Seeing this, the other children informed the family members about the incident. During that time, two children died on the spot. After that, apart from the dead children who were victims of snakebite, the family first took two other children to Dol village under the police station for exorcism. When they did not get better there, they took them to Kharondhi under the district. While taking them to Kharondhi, the third child also died.
Kanchan had lost her mother 20 days ago
Kanchan Kumari’s mother, who died of snakebite, also died 20 days ago after falling from the school roof. She also slept on the school roof to save her life from wild elephants. She died after falling from the roof at night. Her father Ramlal Korwa also died a year ago. Currently, only her sisters Sita Kumari, Priyanka Kumari, Rakhi Kumari and brother Shravan Korwa are left at home. All the children had already become orphans after the death of their parents. All of them are being brought up by their elder uncle Bachcha Lal Korwa.
Superstition is also becoming the reason for the death of villagers due to snakebite
Snakebite patients are still not immediately taken to the hospital for treatment. In rural areas, after snakebite incidents, patients are first taken for exorcism. This worsens the condition of the patients. By the time they are brought to the hospital, it is too late. The same thing happened in the case of the children’s death. After two children died at the scene, the family took them to the nearby Dol village for exorcism to revive them and cure the remaining two children. When they did not get cured there, they took the two children along with the dead children to Kharondhi. The third child also died there. After that, the family admitted the fourth child to the Sadar Hospital. He is undergoing treatment.
(Symbolic picture)
