CHANDIGARH: A Kalka resident

by a

landed up at Government Medical College and Hospital (

), Sector 32, for treatment with the dead

in an incident that drew disbelief after its video went viral on Saturday.

The incident took place on May 17 and was recorded by someone who uploaded it on social media. “The patient had come from Kalka and brought the dead snake along. He did not leave it at the gate. Doctors had to convince him to get rid of it. Later, the man was discharged,” said Dr B S Chavan, director-principal.

GMCH to seek report on dead snake case

Dr B S Chavan, directorprincipal, GMCH, Sector 32, said, “I will inquire in detail from guards in the video and ask for a report.” But for doctors this is not usual. “We have been seeing snake bite patients coming from rural areas along with dead snakes. They bring it along as they want to show us if the snake is poisonous or not,” said Dr Ram Singh, former head, medicine department, GMCH.

He said, “It’s a panic reaction. As the doctors ask for description of the snake that has bitten them, patients tend to bring them along. But nowadays, photos from mobile phones can be taken instead of bringing the snake.”

The video showed an old man lying inside GMCH’s emergency on a bed while holding a dead snake. The doctors are asking him to leave the snake outside as it will not help them in their treatment. “Some bring alive snakes in bottle jars. As we need to give polyvalent anti-venom in any case, it does not matter which snake it is,” said a doctor in GMCH.