LUCKNOW: A peculiar case has emerged from Bhaihsaha, a village of about 300 people in Kaushambi district, known for being infested with snakes. A 15-year-old girl has claimed that the same snake bit her over a dozen times, precisely 13 times, in the last 40 days.
The girl’s extraordinary claim has left the district health department in a quandary, as she insisted that she saw the reptile every time it struck and that the marks on her legs were proof.
“Please save me as a black snake is after my life. It has bitten me 13 times and, every time it bites, it feels like an electric shock. It leaves fang marks on my body," said the girl. She added that the reptile struck her both inside and outside the house. “We close the doors at night, but it still comes," she said.
The victim’s father, Rajendra, a daily-wage farmer, said the family had spent thousands on her treatment and rituals since 22 July, when she reported the first bite.
“We begged snake-catchers to help, but no one came. Sometimes, it disappears into the fields, sometimes in the house. We have not been able to catch it. We don’t even know how long this will continue," Rajendra said.
In the village, where poor sanitation and waterlogging are common, most houses have mud walls. Such conditions are conducive to attracting snakes and similar creatures. However, no other villager besides the teenage girl and her relatives has seen the mysterious “black snake."
“We hear of it only from her family. We are scared to even speak about it. What if it comes for us?" said a villager.
The family has already moved the girl’s younger siblings to relatives’ homes. They even consulted an occult practitioner, but to no avail.
The victim’s aunt insists that she once saw the snake. “It was thick, black, and about as long as an arm. It doesn’t just appear inside the house, it has bitten her outside too," the woman said.
While the family and villagers remain convinced about the snake’s presence, district health experts are sceptical. Kaushambi Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Sanjay Kumar said the teenager was treated for suspected snakebites on 22 July and again on 13 August.
“But reports of 13 attacks are not confirmed. Their house is mud-walled, and snakes often take shelter in such structures during the monsoon. We have ordered cleaning and spraying in and around the house," said the CMO.
Dr Arun Kumar of Sirathu Community Health Centre (CHC), who treated her, said her body did not bear the typical puncture marks or symptoms of venomous bites. He claimed that the reptile could be a non-poisonous snake, if any. “We ensured her surroundings were cleaned and administered medicines. She is stable," said Dr Kumar.
However, some medical experts attribute the case to a psychological condition wherein the patient could be experiencing a phobia, firmly convinced that she was being bitten by the same snake.
Meanwhile, the family, overwhelmed by medical expenses, appealed to the authorities for financial aid. In response, the CMO formed a three-member medical panel to investigate.
After examining the case files and interviewing relatives and doctors, the panel concluded that only one snakebite had occurred, while the rest were likely the result of what was diagnosed as snake phobia, a psychological condition, and not actual repeated attacks. However, the girl continues to live in constant fear of the “next attack."