The residents of a small locality in Howrah’s Domjur, 20 kms from Kolkata, can still recall the events of October 12: a victory procession carrying a gigantic python is not a sight to be forgotten soon.

And they speak proudly of the courageous act of a local youth  — Dheeraj Batabyal  — who shielded the reptile with his body from a gang of locals intent on killing it. Over a fortnight after the incident, the python has finally found a safe home in Alipore Zoo.

According to Domjur residents, the python, whose slithering presence in the neighbourhood had given them sleepless nights, was proving elusive for months. Finally one evening, the locals managed to corner it.Luckily, Dheeraj was around and he realised that the poor creature was in considerable danger. “I had seen pythons only infilms. I knew that they are non-poisonous and figure in the list of endangered animals. I decided to hand it over to the Forest Department before the people killed it,” Dheeraj recalled. “Already they were poking it with bamboo sticks. I tried to stop them, but failed,” the youth recalled.

Finally he dived and guarded the python with his own body from the blows that followed. “But he got bitten for his pains and we panicked when we saw blood dripping from his chest and arms,” said his brother Manoj.

When the mob realised that Dheeraj would not budge, they agreed to hand the python over to the Forest Department.

The 22-kg snake was kept in a cage at Dheeraj’s house. The police were informed but it was 14 hours before forest officials took it away.

... contd.