Forty-five cobra hatchlings have been found at a farmer's home in Char Majlishpur, Ujanchar union, Goalanda, Rajbari. The family killed the snakes.

The incident happened around midday on Monday (29 April) at the home of farmer Aijal Dokandar. Since then the family and local people have been afraid of snakes.

Aijal said his son had pulled up maize plants from the field on Sunday and piled them in the yard. On Monday afternoon his wife pulled one plant to strip the maize, and a snake hatchling came out, which she killed with a stick. Then many hatchlings came out together and they screamed. Other members of the household came and killed all the snakes. In all there were about 40 to 45 cobra hatchlings, but they saw no large snake. The dead snakes were buried.

He added that snakes had been seen in the fields of the area for several days and a few had been killed. Since the incident his family and neighbours have been afraid.

Ujanchar union parishad chairman Golzar Hossain Mridha said he had heard for several days that snakes were being seen in the Majlishpur area, and many hatchlings were killed at Aijal Dokandar's home on Monday.

Dr Farsim Tarannum Haque, Goalanda upazila health and family planning officer, said snakes had become more common in various places, especially char areas, because of the intense heatwave. Everyone should be careful, and anyone bitten should be brought quickly to the nearest hospital, which has antivenom in stock.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.