Snake charmers release reptiles in train compartment to scare passengers

• Image Credit: Google

• Sep 11, 2023 | Dhupali Das

The snake charmers, reportedly infuriated by meager earnings from their onboard performance, resorted to...

Digital Desk: In a bizarre and terrifying incident, four snake charmers unleashed a sense of pandemonium on the Chambal Express, a train running between Howrah and Gwalior, leaving passengers in a state of shock and fear. The snake charmers, reportedly infuriated by meager earnings from their onboard performance, resorted to releasing the reptiles in a packed unreserved compartment on a Saturday evening.

For more than half an hour, chaos ensued as passengers scrambled to escape the slithering intruders. Some clambered onto upper berths, while others sought refuge in the washroom. The terrifying spectacle unfolded at the Banda station, sending shockwaves through the train.

According to one passenger who witnessed the incident, the snake charmers initiated their performance by lifting the lid of a basket, unveiling a snake that began to sway to the eerie melody of their flutes. After the performance, they demanded money from the passengers. When some passengers declined to pay, an argument erupted, culminating in the sudden release of the snakes into the compartment.

Distressed passengers quickly contacted the railway control room, alerting authorities to the alarming situation. Akhilesh Pratap Singh, the officer in-charge of the Government Railway Police at Mahoba station, confirmed the reports, stating, "We received information about snakes being released from the railway control room."

Fortunately, the snake charmers were eventually able to recapture the snakes they had unleashed, and they disembarked from the train shortly before it reached the Mahoba station, its next scheduled stop.

While the snakes did not harm any passengers physically, the psychological distress caused by the incident left many passengers traumatized. Authorities are investigating the matter, and it serves as a stark reminder of the need for improved safety measures and regulations on trains to prevent such incidents in the future.