A Belapur man succumbed to a snakebite he got while kissing a rescued cobra, a report in this paper said. According to reports, the snake rescuer was kissing its head for a photo opportunity. Statistics reveal this is the 31st such case in last 12 years. Before him, another snake rescuer from Satara died after he tried to kiss a cobra. Activists are now calling on the Forest Department (FD) to issue guidelines to prevent such incidents.

Perhaps what is unfathomable is the fact that snake rescuers resort to such stunts despite knowing the reptile very well and understanding how they function. They all seem to have been bitten (pun intended) by the selfie craze, mobile madness or simply social media hysteria - call it what you will.