A rat snake that was trapped inside a switch box and presumed dead suddenly sprang to life on September 11 in Pune, Maharashtra.

The serpent had got its head stuck in the switch box of an irrigation motor pump's control panel.

Saidas Kusal was called to remove the trapped snake that was presumed dead.

Once the power supply was cut off and the switch box was unscrewed, the rat snake sprung to life.

Kusal managed to safely remove the snake through a hole before releasing it back into the wild.

He said: “The rescue was difficult. I had to hold its head for a long time during the rescue and was thankful that it was not a cobra.”

A farmer near Pune in western India saw a non-venomous rat snake inside a control panel he had set up to run his irrigation motor pump on September 11.

The poor snake had got its head stuck inside the switch box and was lying limp without any movement. Assuming that it had been electrocuted, the farmer called rescuer Saidas Kusal to remove the snake.

Saidas first asked the farmer to cut off the power supply to the control panel and then poked the snake gently. As it moved a little, he quickly unscrewed the switch box and as he opened the lid, the snake surprisingly sprung to life.

Far from dead, the snake was agitated and anxious to get away.

A bird had built a tiny nest inside the switch box. The snake had gone to prey on it and put its head inside a hole, where it had got stuck. The snake had struggled to take its head out, even tearing its skin and bleeding a bit.

After realising that it was badly trapped, it had given up and was lying limp.

Saidas tried to push the snake out through the hole. Realising that it was impossible, he cut open the hole and freed the snake. He applied turmeric powder, which has antimicrobial properties, to the snake’s injuries and set it free in a natural habitat.

Saidas said: “The rescue was difficult. I had to hold its head for a long time during the rescue and was thankful that it was not a cobra.”