In a startling incident in northern India’s Bihar, a performer dancing to a film song with venomous snakes was bitten by a cobra during a live show.

The incident took place in ward number 6 of Rakiya Bijalpur in the Satar Kataiya block of Saharsa district on November 9.

Visuals showed the performer sitting on a bed with an accomplice, visibly distressed due to the snake bite. The artist had a syringe inserted in their hand for drips, with the bite clearly visible. Later, the performer was seen showing the mark left by the cobra’s strike.

According to reports, the bite led to a rapid decline in the artist’s health, and they were immediately rushed to the hospital. The incident happened during Chhath Puja celebrations when artists performed cultural dances with snakes wrapped around their necks to popular film songs. On stage, two cobras were placed among the performers, who were so absorbed in the performance that they didn’t notice when one cobra struck. The situation escalated when the artist began feeling faint and realized they had been bitten. The performer fainted, causing panic among the audience.

Reports indicate that the artist risked their life for only 2000 rupees, performing with venomous snakes during stage shows. If not for the timely medical intervention, their life could have been in danger. The artist had previously sought help from tantriks, but after no improvement, they were taken to Saharsa Sadar Hospital.

An eyewitness, Gaurav Kumar, who has organized similar shows for years, mentioned that this was the first time such an accident occurred. He recalled that while dancing to the song “Nagina,” a cobra was placed in front of the performers. The performer was bitten, but it went unnoticed until they fainted. The performer was then taken to a healer, but the venom couldn’t be removed, leading to hospitalization.