Snake experts have strongly criticised a group of amateur rescuers in eastern India for turning a king cobra rescue operation into a photo opportunity. <br /><br />The group was called to rescue a 12-feet-long king cobra in Bhanjnagar, Odisha state on December 12. <br /><br />However, instead of releasing the endangered snake in the forest after catching it, the rescuers started posing with it to let the crowd take videos.<br /><br />They held the reptile down with three tongs with a lock-in mechanism and poured water over it.<br /><br />To make it worse, they were all amateurs, who were not sure of handling one of the world’s most poisonous snakes, and resorted to excessive force.<br /><br />Subhendu Mallik, General Secretary of Snake Helpline, said the snake handlers should be booked under the India’s wildlife protection laws.<br /><br />"They hurt the snake seriously with dangerous tongs. They unnecessarily poured water on the snake's head just to get interesting visuals,” he added.
