Bettiah: Panic gripped residents near the Gonouli forest office in the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in West Champaran after a king cobra and a python were found locked in a fierce fight outside a house late on Tuesday night.The incident occurred outside the residence of Sona Lal Sah, close to the Gonouli forest office. Alerted by the continuous barking of the family’s pet dog, residents stepped outside and were stunned to find the two giant reptiles battling near their home.“We were preparing to sleep when our pet dog started barking continuously. When we came outside, we saw a nearly 12-foot king cobra and an equally large python locked in a fight near the house. As they struggled, they even tried to enter the house. We were terrified,” said Nitesh Kumar, son of Sona Lal Sah.The unusual sight drew a large crowd of local residents, after which the forest department was informed. A rescue team led by snake rescuer Murari Kumar rushed to the spot and, after considerable effort, safely captured both reptiles. The king cobra and the python were later released deep inside the VTR forest.Forest department officials attributed the increased movement of snakes and other wildlife into human settlements to continuous rainfall and waterlogging inside the forest.Officials appealed to residents not to catch or chase snakes or other wild animals on their own and instead immediately inform the forest department so trained personnel can carry out safe rescue operations.
