Snake catcher Vava Suresh critically ill after cobra bite, netizens pray for his recovery

Vava Suresh, one of Kerala’s most renowned snake catchers, is battling life and death at Kottayam Medical College Hospital after being bitten by a venomous cobra on Monday.

According to sources, he is currently on ventilator support while receiving anti-venom. The doctors treating him have said that his condition is critical but has improved slightly from when he was brought in for specialized care to the hospital.

According to The Times of India, a snake catcher was summoned to a home in Kurichy grama panchayat in Kottayam when villagers saw a cobra among stones heaped up near livestock shed.

A large crowd had gathered to watch Suresh catch the snake, however, they were left shocked as the serpent bit him in the right thigh while he was attempting to put it into a gunny bag while holding its tail in one hand. Despite being bitten, he caught the nimble cobra again, packed it, before asking to be rushed to the nearby hospital for emergency treatment, the report said.

After receiving first aid at a local hospital, he was referred to the state-run Kottayam Medical College hospital after receiving anti-venom.

Following the event, prayers for Kerala’s most famous snake catcher are being conducted in Kottayam and other parts of the state. On Twitter and other social media sites, users wished him a swift recovery.

Suresh has captured more than 50,000 snakes in his two-decade career, including more than 200 King cobras. He’s had over 300 snake bites as a result of his dangerous job.

He has survived nearly half a dozen deadly bites in the past, despite spending a lot of time in hospitals.