This is the shocking moment a patient carries a venomous snake that bit him to the hospital in India.

Footage shows Prakash Mandal with a Russell's Viper wrapped around his neck. He was holding its head as he arrived at the Medicine Emergency Department of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College in Bhagalpur, Bihar, on October 15.

Staff at the medical facility and other patients were startled upon seeing the dangerous reptile. Some panicked and ran away - afraid that the serpent could bite them.

Prakash calmly told doctors that he needed help.

He said: 'The snake bit me. This is the same snake that did it. You can use it to find the right treatment.'

Local media reported that Prakash was lying down in his house in Barari when the snake plunged its fangs his hand. He caught the serpent and brought it with him to the hospital, accompanied by his family.

After examining the snake, doctors administered an injection to Prakash, who was reported to be in serious condition. The snake was kept in a sack on the hospital premises, and forest officials have been notified.

The Russell's Viper is a highly venomous terrestrial snake from the family Viperidae, found throughout the Indian subcontinent.

It is a significant cause of snakebite fatalities within its range, as it often inhabits farmlands where human contact and rodent prey are abundant. The viper can grow to a maximum length of about 5ft (1.5 metres).