Forest ranger escapes death while posing with python in West Bengal

A forest range official from Baikunthapur Forest in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri had a near-death experience after a python he had rescued nearly crushed him.

In the video that has since gone viral, Sanjay Dutta, the range officer, is seen posing with villagers after rescuing the giant reptile. Some locals are even seen taking selfies with him.

Dutta was called in on Sunday by frantic villagers after they saw the 40-kg python swallowing a goat alive.

But panic spread as the huge snake wound itself around Dutta's neck, forcing him to struggle to free himself from its grip. He escaped unscathed, but a little red-faced.

West Bengal's forest department has launched an official inquiry into the ranger's conduct and flouting of safety protocols. Dutta said he only wanted to save the reptile from the villagers who were readying to club it to death with sticks.

"My first instinct was to rescue the snake. I carried it on my shoulders and held its mouth firmly," he said.

"I was not scared for even a moment (when the python tightened its grip) because had I panicked, it could have been fatal."

Dutta said he did not have a bag to carry the snake, which he transported to a safe location in his car and released into the wild.

Posing with a snake or putting it around the neck and performing other stunts amounts to cruelty, and is an offense under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Given the danger that Dutta posed by posing with a snake and asking villagers to take pictures, it is highly likely that he could lose his license as a forest ranger.

Last May, a Navi Mumbai-based resident became the first person to be booked by the forest department for a similar offense. He was also remanded in five days police custody by a Panvel court.