Young Hero: An 8-Year-Old Boy Takes on a Deadly Cobra

An 8-year-old boy has become a national hero in India after bravely killing a deadly cobra, known as the Indian cobra, with his bare hands.

The child, named Deepak, shared his story with a local TV channel. He recounted that the venomous cobra bit him on the hand while he was playing in his village yard. Overpowered by the pain and anger, his instinct was to retaliate by biting the snake on its head. "The pain was incredible when it bit me. It hung onto my hand and I shook it to get it off, but it didn't work," he said.

In desperation, Deepak bit the snake twice on its head until it released its grip, he shared.

The dead snake as found later by Indian authorities

Remarkably, this brave act not only saved his life but also killed the snake.

His screams alarmed his family, who rushed him to the hospital. The doctor explained just how miraculous his survival was, noting, "He could have died just from biting the venomous snake." The antivenom applied saved his life. "From our experience with this snake, it can cause death within half an hour," the doctors noted.

Here are some facts about the Indian cobra you might not know:

1. The venom of the Indian cobra is among the most potent.

2. Without timely medical intervention, a bite from this cobra can be fatal within 30 minutes.

3. Over 100,000 people are bitten by Indian cobras every year in India, where these snakes are more prevalent than in other countries.

4. About 30 people die annually in India due to these cobra bites.

5. The Indian cobra is one of the four snakes known as the 'Big Four,' responsible for bites with varying severity levels.