Shocking! Theatre actress dies while performing, after bitten by snake used as prop during 'jatra'

In a horrifying incident, a 63-year-old theatre actress lost her life while performing after bitten by a snake in North 24 Parganas district, said cops. The live snake was used as a prop in her stage show 'jatra'. The incident took place at Barunhat village in Hasnabad police station area last night.

After the snake bit Kalidasi Mondal, she was taken to hospital where she was declared brought dead, police said.

According to the co-actress of Ms Mondal, alleged that after she was bitten by a snake, an 'Ojha' tried to cure her but failed. Ms Mondal was taken to the local primary health centre but she had died by then, she said.

Being in 21st-century people in many areas of India still believes in an 'Ojha' that they can cure a snake bite case by chanting 'mantra' and using herbs. The police said nobody lodged any complaint yet on this but they are investigating the incident.

Basirhat police district SP, S Rajkumar, confirmed the incident and said the body has been sent for post-mortem examination.

As per reports, the snake was needed in the 'jatra' (rural theatre) as it was based on 'Manasamangal Kavya', a medieval era literature that narrates the story of how snake goddess Manasa establishes her worship in Bengal.