A toddler in India proved he's not the one to be messed with, reportedly biting a cobra to death after the snake wrapped around his hand.
According to local reports, the one-year-old, identified as Govinda, was playing at his home in Bettiah, a small town located in the Indian state of Bihar. Govinda's grandmother told a local reporter, "When we saw the snake in the child’s hand, everyone rushed towards him, but in the meantime, he already bit the snake, killing it on the spot."
Govinda was still apparently harmed by the snakes venom, as he reportedly fainted after killing the serpent. He was immediately rushed to a local hospital for treatment.
Hospital superintendent Duvakant Mishra told Indian Express, “The boy, Govinda Kumar, was referred here yesterday by the primary health centre close to his village where he was rushed by family members after he fainted soon after chewing on the live snake."
Lucky for Govinda, the effects of the venom were mild and not fatal. Another doctor, Saurabh Kumar, told The Times of India, "Timely treatment saved Govinda's life."
Kumar added, "The child's condition is currently stable and treatment is being administered under the supervision of doctors. The medical team is treating the child, providing continuous medication, and he is under observation.”
The report states the snake died from trauma to it's head and mouth area. It's currently unclear exactly how the child first came into contact with the cobra.
To say Govinda was lucky to survive is an understatement. According to the World Health Organization, India accounts for about 50% of all snakebite deaths globally. Cobra venom is neurotoxic, meaning it attacks the body's breathing and nervous system, resulting in death if not treated swiftly.
It's estimated about 46,000 deaths happen every year in India with bites from various cobra, viper and krait species.