Video: Bone-chilling footage shows 15-foot python trying to swallow Jabalpur man

A man survived an attack by a 15-foot-long python in Kalyanpur village, located in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, about 840 km south of New Delhi. The quick thinking and even quicker action of local villagers saved the man from the brink of death.

A video capturing this spine-chilling incident has since gone viral on social media.

The ordeal began when the man went into the forest to defecate in the open. A large python approached him from behind and coiled its tail around his neck.

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The man managed to grab the python's mouth while calling out for help in a desperate bid for survival.

The villagers passing by heard his screams and rushed to his aid. By the time they arrived, the python had fully wrapped itself around the man.

Reacting quickly, the villagers immediately attempted to pry the python off the man. Fearing the situation could turn fatal, the villagers killed the python using an axe, stones, and other sharp objects.

No legal action has been taken against the villagers for killing the snake. Forest department officials stated that killing an animal to save human life is not a crime.

Forest ranger Mahesh Chandra Kushwaha commented on the incident: "The man was struggling to breathe as the python had coiled around his neck. If an animal is killed by a person in such a circumstance, no legal action is taken against him," India Today reported.

Pythons, are a family of non-venomous snakes found in Africa, Asia, and Australia. While pythons are not venomous, they coil themselves around the prey, then constrict and squeeze to kill and swallow the wholebody. They also carry a host of potential health issues for humans. Pythons are vectors for multiple illnesses, including Salmonella, Chlamydia, Leptospirosis, Aeromoniasis, Campylobacteriosis, and Zygomycosis.

(With inputs from agencies)