Snake Catchers Guard Rashtrapati Nilayam During President’s Southern Sojourn

Hyderabad: Unwanted reptilian guests are a permanent fixture at President Ram Nath Kovind’s annual winter sojourn in Secunderabad, and the personal safety of the supreme commander of the nation's armed forces is primarily vested in the hands of snake catchers.

The Rashtrapati Nilayam where the President spends two weeks of the winter is heavily infested with snakes and six trained catchers from the Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad are on duty 24/7 to capture any reptile planning on slithering close to the Nizam-era building set in 90 acres of lush greenery. The team was on the job screening the location for snakes a fortnight before the President’s arrival at the bungalow in the Secunderabad cantonment area.

On Saturday, a snake was trapped but the biggest catch was the Russell viper that was caught a few days back. Maqsood Moinuddin, Chief Conservator of Forests said, "A Russell Viper is a deadly snake and it can strike a victim five feet away." The venom of this deadly species of snake destroys kidneys and can attack the blood cells. The snake accounts for thousands of deaths every year.

A viper, krait, rat snake, and a few other varieties of snakes have been caught. The Rashtrapati Nilayam is not in use except for some basic maintainence throughout the year. The natural eco-system with a lot of greenery on the campus is ideal for snakes, Shivani Dogra, curator, NZP says.

Civic authorities earlier engaged a couple of langurs to clear the vicinity of monkeys, another potential irritant for the head of state though not quite as menacing as snakes. The horticulture department removes any beehives prior to the presidential visit. Security personnel are particularly cautious when the President decides to take a stroll in the gardens.

The Rashtrapati Nilayam is mainly meant for the President’s stay and is mostly unoccupied during the rest of the year, thus allowing reptiles and other animals a comfortable abode in the area.