Assam: Villagers rescue Burmese Python mistaken for Russell's Viper in Dhubri

Villagers in Hatipota Part-I, under the Bilasipara sub-division of Dhubri district, rescued a Burmese python on Saturday morning after mistaking it for a dangerous Russell's viper caught in a fishing net, which led to a chaotic scene.

Zakaria Hussain, a local youth, discovered the entangled snake while retrieving a fishing net set near the river. Noticing the snake's brown coloration with dark spots, Hussain suspected it to be a Russell's viper and alerted an elder in the village.

The elder safely extracted the snake and promptly contacted the forest department. Upon arrival, forest officials identified the snake as a Burmese python. They educated the villagers on the differences between the non-venomous python and the venomous Russell's viper, clearing up the misconception.

The forest department then safely rescued the python and released it back into its natural habitat.