A snake enthusiast has died after being bitten by a cobra while handling the deadly reptile.
The man, who has been named only as Santosh, was catching the serpents with a friend and had posed with one of the snakes around his neck shortly before the lethal bite.
Santosh used his hands to move the reptile around and held the animal’s neck, before gently tapping it four times on the back of its head.
Crowds gathered around to watch him in Jamua Village, Giridih District, India, on February 5.
Finally, he planted a kiss on the snake’s mouth, but then it nipped his thumb.
His condition quickly deteriorated, and Santosh passed away during his journey to the hospital.
His father, Mani Prasad of Karmel Village, Deoria District, claims his son had an “affinity” for poisonous snakes.
Upon hearing about any sightings, he would travel to the location and catch the reptile in a bid to take it away from the local population.
Cobra venom can lead to paralysis of the heart and lungs and result in death.
Last year the Mirror reported on a cobra which died after being bitten by eight-year-old boy.
The snake had wrapped itself round the youngster's arm and bit into his skin, before the boy turned on the reptile and bit it back - killing the reptile.
The episode reportedly happened in Pandarpadh village a remote area in central Chhattisgarh region of India.
Deepak's parents took him to a nearby medical centre and kept under observation to ensure he recovered.
Doctors found he had suffered a "dry bite" which mean the cobra released no venom.
