25 baby cobras found in 15 days: Fear strikes MP girls' school; several classrooms shut

Representational Image (Source: @ParveenKaswan/X)

What began as a single snake sighting in a Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Deori, Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh, has now turned into a worrying daily problem. In just 15 days, 25 baby cobras have been found on the school premises, causing fear among more than 1,000 students and teachers, The Times of India reported.

On Saturday alone, two more snakes were rescued, TOI reported. The growing concern has forced the school to shut down five classrooms, including Classrooms 4 and 5, where most of the snakes were spotted. “We have no choice but to dig up the floors and lay fresh concrete. The safety of our students comes first,” TOI quoted Principal Ajay Nagariya as saying.

With several rooms closed, students are now attending lessons in verandahs, under the constant watch of staff. Efforts to control the situation, such as spraying insecticides and clearing bushes around the campus, have so far brought little relief.

Snake catcher Rajkumar Panda confirmed that all the rescued snakes were baby cobras, each about six inches long. Despite their small size, he warned that a cobra’s venom could cause paralysis or even death. “The babies may be tiny, but their bite can be just as dangerous,” he was quoted by Bhaskar English as saying.

So far, no one has been injured. Locals say that until the school is fully snake-proofed, both teachers and students will continue their classes with divided attention, keeping one eye on the blackboard and the other on the floor.