Then the cobra lunged at him, encircling his hand tightly.

In a startling turn of events, the child killed the reptile by sinking his teeth into its head.

Govinda’s grandmother, Mateshwari Devi, said, “When we saw the snake in the child’s hand, everyone rushed towards him, but in the meantime, he already bit the snake, killing it on the spot.”

The child passed out shortly after the bite.

Before being sent to the Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH) in Bettiah for specialised care, his family hurried him to a nearby health clinic.

The child’s bite is thought to have caused the cobra’s head and mouth injuries, which led to its death, according to GMCH doctors.

“The venom did affect Govinda, but not fatally.”

Dr Surab Kumar, the medic in charge of treating the toddler, said, “Timely treatment saved