Man struggles to catch deadly cobra hiding in air conditioner of bakery in eastern India

A customer at this bakery in Sunabeda, eastern India was horrified to discover a deadly snake slithering on a shelf.

The incident took place on Thursday (May 21).

According to local media, the customer raised an alarm and the employees ran out of the shop in panic.

As they kept an anxious watch, an adult cobra climbed up the wall, slipped into the air conditioner, and vanished.

The shop owner, Rajendra Prasad Mandev, called Snake Helpline, which sent rescuer, Sujit Kumar Mohanty to the scene.

Footage shows part of an hour-long battle to persuade the snake out.

Mohanty tapped the air conditioner a few times and the cobra hissed angrily and raised its hood to strike him.

Mohanty realised that the snake was stuck inside the air conditioner and partially dismantled it.

He had to restrain the cobra with one hand and work with the other, as the cobra made the rescue risky by swiping at Mohanty's hand continuously.

When Sujit managed to free the snake, the serpent immediately regurgitated two rats.

He put the snake in a bag and released it later in a nearby forest.

Founder of Snake Helpline, Subhendu Mallik, said "The cobra entered the bakery in search of prey.

We have advised the bakery owner to take proper rodent control measures and avoid similar incidents in the future."