Odisha priest opens temple for evening prayers, finds 12-foot cobra waiting inside

A priest found a 12-foot King cobra inside Ratnei Temple in Odisha before evening prayers. The hour-long rescue calmed frightened residents after the snake was safely removed and released.Odisha priest opens temple for evening prayers, finds 12-foot cobra waiting insideThe evening prayers at an Odisha temple came to an abrupt halt when the priest opened the door and found a 12-foot King cobra waiting inside.Panic broke out at the Ratnei Temple in Ganjam district, after the enormous snake was spotted inside the premises on Wednesday evening.The temple priest had arrived to conduct the evening prayers when he opened the door and immediately came face-to-face with the huge reptile. Startled by the sight, he wisely chose not to enter the temple and alerted the Chikiti Forest Department.Soon after, members of a local Snake Helpline team arrived at the temple to rescue the cobra. The rescue, however, was no quick task. The team spent nearly an hour carefully attempting to capture the massive King cobra. Since the rescue was taking place inside a temple dedicated to a goddess, the rescuers covered their shoes with sacks to respect the sanctity of the premises and the sentiments of devotees.The covering also offered some protection for their legs during the risky operation. Amid the tense rescue, an unusual moment also unfolded.As the sound of a dhol echoed nearby, the giant cobra appeared to remain unusually still and attentive, seemingly reacting to the rhythm of the drum as the rescuers continued their work.Watch the video here:After nearly an hour of careful effort, the Snake Helpline members finally managed to safely capture the approximately 12-foot-long King cobra.The reptile was then removed from the temple and later released into the wild.The discovery of such a large and highly venomous snake inside the temple had initially left local residents alarmed, but the situation returned to normal after the rescue team successfully removed the unexpected visitor.- EndsPublished By: Yashna TalwarPublished On: Sep 3, 2026 13:42 IST