A young man named Shariful Islam Sharif (25) was showing off with a venomous snake that had come out of the jungle in Aditmari, Lalmonirhat, while a friend filmed him. He later died from that snake's bite.

He was buried in the family graveyard after a janaza (funeral prayer) on Tuesday afternoon (31 October) in Telitari village of the upazila. The incident happened at around 7pm on Monday (30 October) near his home in Telitari village.

Shariful Islam was the son of Salimullah of Telitari, in ward 7 of Sarpukur union in the upazila.

Local sources said a venomous snake came out of the jungle onto the road in Telitari, in ward 7 of Sarpukur union. Shariful caught the snake, and curious crowds gathered at the news. Shariful and his friends Omar Faruk and Siddique began showing off with the snake in various poses, while another friend named Adam filmed it on his mobile phone.

At one point the snake struck Shariful on the forehead, but he kept holding it. Shortly afterwards the venom took effect. Shariful was immediately taken to Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital and then admitted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for better treatment, where he died at around 10pm after a short period of treatment.

Confirming the incident, Sarpukur union parishad chairman Kabir Hossain said the body was brought back from Rangpur Medical College Hospital and buried in the afternoon.

Aditmari police station officer-in-charge (OC) Mozammel Haque said he had learned of the young man's death from snakebite through the union parishad chairman.

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