Bhubaneswar: Snakebite claimed the lives of two persons including a Kanwariya pilgrim in two separate incidents in Bhadrak and Deogarh districts on Sunday night.
According to sources, a Bolbom devotee identified as Himanshu Majhi, died after being bitten by a snake while on his way to the famous Shiva shrine Aradi, in Bhadrak district. Majhi and two other Kanwariyas from Patuli village under Dhamnagar police limits had fetched water from the Baitarini River near Betali village and left for the shrine. He was bitten by a venomous snake near the Aradi bus stand.
His aide, Kanhu Charan said, “We rushed Majhi to Aradi Community Health Centre after he was bitten by the snake. As there was no doctor or staff available, we then called for an ambulance. After failing to avail ambulance service, we eventually took Majhi to the Bhadrak District Headquarters Hospital where he was declared dead by the doctors.”
Majhi’s brother alleged that if there was a doctor available at the health centre, his brother’s life could have been saved.
The deceased’s brother Prakash said, “I got a phone call from Kanhu around 8.30 pm on Monday and he informed me that my brother was bitten by a snake. I immediately told him to take my brother to the nearest hospital. As there was no doctor to attend Himanshu, I asked them to take him to Bhadrak District Headquarters Hospital where he was declared dead. Had he been attended by doctors at the Aradi hospital, his life could have been saved.”
In a separate incident, Dayanidhi Patra, a resident of Thakurpali village under Barkote block in Deogarh district died after being bitten by a snake. His son, Nrupati Patra, is critical after being bitten by the same snake and is undergoing treatment at Deogarh District Headquarters Hospital.
According to sources, the incident occurred on Sunday night when they were sleeping. Dayanidhi knew he had been bitten by a snake, but he did not go to the hospital. Instead, he tried to treat himself through faith healing. When his condition worsened, his family rushed him to the Barkote hospital. Doctors at the hospital, however, referred him to the Deogarh District Headquarters Hospital, where he was declared dead.
On a tip-off, the police seized the body for autopsy. Nrupati is still undergoing treatment and is in a critical condition.
