Pothencode, Thiruvananthapuram: A 30-year-old snake catcher died after he was bitten by a cobra that he had caught.
The victim was Zakir Hussain of Sasthavattom in Thiruvananthapuram. The incident happened at Navaikulam in the district around 8.30pm on Sunday.
Even after suffering the snakebite, Zakir continued to hold on to the cobra and exhibited it to the onlookers. Soon he started foaming at the mouth.
Zakir then called up his friend Mukesh over the phone and told him about the snakebite. But he soon collapsed. And the snake too escaped.
The onlookers rushed Zakir to the Parippally Medical College Hospital but his life could not be saved.
After getting to know of the incident, expert snake catcher Vava Suresh reached the spot and caught the snake again.
Zakir Hussain is survived by wife Haseena, and children Neha and Niha.
Zakir had been a snake-catcher for 11 years. He had caught 348 snakes during this period and suffered snakebites 12 times.
