A Russell's viper had to be cut free from a construction net after it became entangled while chasing prey in Pune, Maharashtra.

A security guard spotted the snake desperately trying to escape and made a call to rescuer Saidas Kusal.

Kusal pinned down the head of the viper and began snipping away at the net over the next hour.

After removing the netting, Kusal placed the viper into a bag and released it into a nearby forest.

A Russel’s viper pursued a rat, which ran for cover under a pile of safety nets used at a construction site, in Pune in western India.

The deadly snake dived into the pile and found itself trapped by the thin plastic wires of the net.

A security guard, who saw the snake writhing desperately to escape, made a call to rescuer Saidas Kusal. When Saidas went to the spot he saw that the snake was completely buried in the pile.

He knew that freeing the agitated snake was extremely dangerous as it would instinctively strike him the moment it felt free. But it was so badly trapped he had to get close to set it free.

Saidas carefully located the head of the viper and pinned it down with a pipe. Over the next hour he carefully snipped away the strings that had trapped the snake.

Instead of pulling the snake out he managed to persuade it to move further deep into the pipe.

Sai took the snake out of the pipe and as he expected it lunged at him angrily. With the help of a snake stick, he moved it into a bag and then released it in a nearby forest.