A couple in Bengaluru was left horrified after discovering a live cobra inside a package they ordered online from Amazon on Sunday. The couple, both software engineers, had ordered an Xbox controller, but instead received a venomous snake in the delivery.
The snake, suspected to be a spectacled cobra, fortunately, was immobilised by the packaging tape, preventing it from causing any harm. The couple captured the incident on video and shared it on social media, expressing their shock and frustration.
"We ordered an Xbox controller two days ago from Amazon and received a live snake in the package. The package was directly handed over to us by the delivery partner, not left outside. We live on Sarjapur Road and captured the entire incident on camera, plus we have eyewitnesses to the same," the customer recounted.
"Fortunately, it (the snake) was stuck to the packaging tape and did not harm anyone in our household or apartment. Despite the danger, Amazon's customer support put us on hold for over two hours, forcing us to handle the situation all by ourselves in the middle of the night (again proof captured in videos and photos)," she said in a statement.
Although they received a complete refund for their order, the couple voiced their concerns about the lack of accountability from Amazon. "What do we get for risking our lives here with a highly venomous snake? This is clearly a safety breach caused solely by Amazon's negligence and their poor transportation/warehousing hygiene and supervision. Where is the accountability for such a serious lapse in safety?" she questioned.
An Amazon India spokesperson said on Wednesday that the company is investigating the incident.
"The safety of our customers, employees, and associates is a top priority for us. We work hard to provide customers with a trustworthy shopping experience and it's our commitment to go above and beyond to make things right for them. We take all customer complaints seriously and are investigating this incident," the spokesperson told PTI.
"The snake has been identified as a possible spectacled cobra (Naja Naja), a highly venomous snake species indigenous to Karnataka," they said.
In response to the viral video, Amazon tweeted, "We're sorry to know about the inconvenience you've had with the Amazon order. We'd like to have this checked. Please share the required details here, and our team will get back to you soon with an update."
The couple, however, was not satisfied with Amazon's response, stating, "They have just shared a full refund, which they should have anyway. But we did not receive any compensation or an official apology beyond that. Their typical 'we regret the inconvenience caused to you,' I believe, does not count. This is by all means not acceptable to us as Amazon customers and to their delivery partner as an employee. This is a clear breach of safety. Also, I do not think we will receive a satisfactory resolution anytime soon."
Meanwhile, the snake has since been safely released away from public areas.
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