Two snakes have been beaten to death in Patgram, Lalmonirhat, on suspicion of being Russell's vipers (chandrabora). News of the snakes has spread fear among people everywhere.

Locals killed the snakes, suspecting them to be Russell's vipers, on Sunday (23 June) night in Patgram municipal town and in Jagatber union of the upazila. Abdur Rahman, acting officer of the upazila forest department, confirmed this to Jago News on Monday (24 June) afternoon.

On Sunday night, local people who saw a snake beside the upazila's Settlement mosque beat it to death with sticks and took it to the house of Upazila Nirbahi Officer Nurul Islam. The same night another snake was killed under a shop at Tongtingdanga bazar in the union. Locals claim both were the much-discussed Russell's vipers.

However, Jagatber Union Parishad member Alauddin Sumon told Jago News that the snake killed at Tongtingdanga bazar was not a Russell's viper and there is nothing to be afraid of.

Acting forest officer Abdur Rahman said it had not been possible to confirm 100 per cent whether the two dead snakes were venomous Russell's vipers. Had there been a chance to see them before they were killed, it could have been said.

Patgram Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Nurul Islam told Jago News he could not say for certain whether they were Russell's vipers. Everyone should stay careful rather than panic, he said.

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