8FOOTLONG PYTHON RESCUED FROM A HOUSE IN GURUGRAM

An eight-foot-long python was rescued by officials of the wildlife department from Defence Colony in Bhondsi, around 13km from Gurugram city, on Friday morning.

The reptile was rescued after a resident reported seeing it in his house.

The python, believed to be a male and weighing 4kg, was kept under observation for three hours before being released in the Aravallis under the supervision of wildlife officials.

Around 5.30am on Friday, Anil Gandas, a wildlife enthusiast who led the rescue operation, received a call from 35-year-old Sonu Raghav, a businessman and a resident of Defence Colony, saying that he had spotted a python at his residence that was slithering towards the storeroom.

He also said that his house is situated next to a vacant plot.

A two-member team comprising Gandas and wildlife guard Krishna Kumar reached the spot.

“There was a huge crowd when we got there. The snake was hiding under a table at the residence. Not a single word escaped the residents, as they watched the rescue operation,” said Gandas.

The python tried to attack members of the rescue team as they tried to grab it, Gandas said.

“I was getting ready to leave for a morning walk around 5am, when I spotted the python in my house, crawling towards the storeroom. I was scared as my wife and sons were sleeping inside. However, I thought it better than not to inform them and alerted my neighbours and Gandas instead,” Raghav said.

Raghav said he kept a close watch on the snake, as it slid under a table in the storeroom and coiled up.

“I was scared and worried about the safety of my family, till the rescue team arrived and took it away. This was the first time I had seen a snake, this big, from such close quarters. It was huge,” Raghav said.