July 09, 2008	Wednesday	Rajab 5, 1429

MITHI, July 8: Appearance of krait snakes in a good number in the villages and in the surrounding areas of Mithi town has spread fear among the residents, who were passing sleepless nights, taking refuge mostly on rooftops of their houses.

Umedo, Dhano, Deepji, Soransingh, Khoto, Santosh, Chandan and other residents of village Malahnore Veena, carrying placards inscribed with slogans such as “save us from the annoyance of krait snakes”, “take measures for treatment of krait-bitten patients”, staged a demonstration here on Tuesday and also showed journalists a four-feet long krait, killed by them last night.

According to myth, krait snake appears in the darkness of night, crawls over a cot and pours its poison in the mouth of a sleeping individual, as a result of which the victim instantly becomes blind, besides facing breathing complication, and in many cases then patient expires before reaching any hospital.

They said there is no medical treatment against it, even if a patient is taken to a hospital.

There are chances of recovery of such patients when he or she is made to eat onion or alum, as per local treatment. The complaining villagers urged the government to take remedial measures against the menace of krait snakes.