A family in the village of Todgaon near Ahmednagar in western India was preparing to make dinner on the evening of July 5 when they found an unwelcome visitor: a deadly Russell's viper. <br /><br />Panicked, they called Wildlife Rescue Society and a team led by Akash Jadhav arrived at the village to rescue the snake. <br /><br />Unverving footage shows the snake tucked into a corner behind a cooking gas cylinder. As the snake had coiled itself, Akash had to poke the dangerous reptile with a stick. After a few tries, the viper relented and came out from the corner. Akash then coaxed the viper into a bag.<br /><br />The highly venomous snake was later released deep in a nearby forest.<br /><br />Akash said: “The snake looked lethargic, but I knew it could still strike fast, so tried to keep a safe distance. This was a snake that could have done damage, and there were a few tense moments during the rescue.”<br /><br />According to a recent study, an estimated 1.2 million people have died from snake bites in India in the past 20 years.<br /><br />Russell's vipers, along with kraits and cobras were responsible for most deaths.
