Panicked residents shocked to find venomous cobra in papaya tree

Panicked residents were shocked to find a venomous cobra in a papaya tree at their home in Bhubaneswar, India, on April 1, 2018.

The residents were trying to get a few papayas for dinner and were shocked to find a four-and-a-half-foot-long cobra perched among the leaves.

They called the Snake Helpline, a volunteer organisation and a snake rescue team led by Subhendu Mallik.

Extricating the cobra from the tree was a challenge as the papaya tree wasn't strong enough to support the weight of a person climbing it.

There were also tense moments when the cobra wriggled to free itself when they tried to catch it and it came within striking distance of Mallik's legs.

The cobra was eventually captured and released safely in its natural habitat.