Cobra bite victim returns to snake catching immediately after hospital discharge
A snake charmer who gained notoriety after being bitten by a cobra while attempting a rescue has been discharged from a hospital in Kushtia, only to return to his trade almost immediately. Imran Hossain, 38, left the intensive care unit of Kushtia General Hospital late Saturday night and was reportedly back in the field hunting for snakes by Sunday afternoon.
Hossain, a resident of Hirimadia Gorostan Para in Bheramara, frequently posts videos of himself capturing snakes on social media, identifying as both a snake charmer and an exorcist. He was hospitalized late Friday following a bite from a cobra he was attempting to remove from a home in the Baggari Para area of Golapnagar Union. Medical staff at the hospital administered antivenom and provided emergency treatment for the injury.
A.K.M. Nuruzzaman, the physician in charge of the hospital's ICU, confirmed that Hossain was stable upon his discharge. The doctor noted that he cleared the patient to leave primarily because he was using his mobile phone inside the ICU, a violation of unit protocol, and appeared eager to return home.
Reached by phone on Sunday, Hossain claimed he was in good health and had sought voluntary discharge in part to escape persistent inquiries from the media. He suggested that some reporters were attempting to discredit his methods. Shortly after his departure, he traveled to Chandgram, where he was summoned to inspect a home after the residents discovered a large snake skin in a bedroom. He stated that he suspected a venomous snake was present and had resumed his capture efforts.
Despite the snake charmer's return to his usual activities, medical professionals have urged the public to rely on evidence-based healthcare. Dr. Iqbal Hassan, the Resident Medical Officer at Kushtia General Hospital, emphasized that individuals suffering from snake bites should avoid folk healers and traditional exorcists, seeking immediate treatment at government hospitals instead.
