Snake spotted on Thiruvananthapuram-Nizamuddin Express; train halted for over two hours

A snake was spotted by passengers in one of the train compartments of the Thiruvananthapuram-Nizamuddin Express creating panic throughout the journey. As a precautionary measure, the train was halted in Kozhikode, Kerala for over two hours in search of the snake. However, the reptile was not found. 

Railway sources said the passengers informed a TTE about noticing a snake between the luggage underneath a lower berth in the S5 compartment on Wednesday night, soon after the train left nearby Tirur station.

As the news about the reptile spread through the train, it created a panic among the passengers, including women, sources said. As soon as the communication reached the railway authorities in Kozhikode railway station, they arranged for experts from the Forest department to trace the snake.

Also read: Tejas Express passengers can get compensation for delayed train, insurance, and more; details here

All passengers in the compartment where the snake was seen alighted after the train reached Kozhikode around 10.15 pm and a thorough search was conducted by two snake catchers, arranged by Forest officials. However, the reptile could not be caught, railway sources said.

Quoting the snake catchers, railway sources said the reptile, as seen in a photo taken by a passenger, was just a rat snake and might have escaped or hidden in a hole found alongside the compartment. The train resumed its journey after the hole was sealed by midnight, the sources said.

(With inputs from PTI)