ITBP constable dies of cobra bite at barrack in UP

A 31-year-old Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel died on Monday allegedly after a snake bit him at his barrack in Uttar Pradesh's Greater Noida, police said.

The incident was reported early in the morning, they said.

"After the snake bite, he was given first aid at the unit itself and then rushed to a private hospital where he died," Station House Officer, Surajpur police station, Munish Chauhan told PTI.

The personnel was identified as Hari Krishna, a native of Cooch Behar district in West Bengal. He was posted at the Lakhnawali unit of the ITBP as a constable, the SHO said.

His body has been sent for post-mortem. It would be handed over to the ITBP after that, Chauhan said.

Mourning the constable's demise as "unfortunate", an ITBP official said Krishna was bit by a white cobra, which is common in the region, when he had opened a bag of his personal belongings.

"The cobra had somehow got into the barrack and slid inside the bag. When Krishna opened the bag, it bit him hard and then stuck on his hand for a while. The poison spread too fast, leaving very less time for response and treatment," ITBP spokesperson Vivek Pandey told PTI.

He said the personnel's body would be airlifted to Bagdogra on Tuesday and there on to his home in Cooch Behar for last rites.

Krishna leaves behind a wife and a daughter, Pandey said.

ITBP personnel primarily guard the 3,488-km-long India-China border and the force is nearly one lakh personnel strong.