Tamil Nadu man arrested for eating snake, claims it keeps COVID-19 virus away

A video which went viral in Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli district, showed a man ating a snake while claiming that it was a good antidote to Covid-19 infection. Vadivel said he caught the snake in a field and killed it before eating it. In the viral video, Vadivel is seen biting into the snake and claiming that the reptile was good for keeping the Covid-19 virus at bay. He said he had been consuming snakes to protect himself from the coronavirus.

Expressing their shock, wildlife officials have said that it is extremely harmful to indulge in such activities. They said eating any animal was "extremely dangerous" as the pathogens carried by such animals could cause more damage to one's body. As the video went viral, shocked environmentalists alerted the police, who identified the perpetrator and arrested him. Vadivel was also fined Rs 7,500 for the crime.