Poisonous snake creates panic at VIP lounge of Puducherry airport

Top officials including Airport Authority of India chairman Guruprasad Mohapatra in the middle of a meeting on Saturday spotted the 6-feet long reptile moving beneath a couch and immediately rushed out of the lounge.

A highly venomous snake was discovered in the VIP lounge of the airport in Puducherry causing flutter among staff members and officials.

Top officials including Airport Authority of India chairman Guruprasad Mohapatra in the middle of a meeting on Saturday spotted the 6-feet long reptile moving beneath a couch and immediately rushed out of the lounge, police said.

A woman staff present at the spot tried to drive out the snake using a mop. Later, a police constable managed to catch the snake that had wandered in from a nearby thicket and handed it over to forest department personnel.

The reptile was identified as Viper, a species considered to be very poisonous.

The constable, D Thiagou, attached to the India Reserve Battalion (IRBn) of Puducherry was presented a cash award and commendation certificate for his act of bravery.

The woman worker would also be honoured for her courageous act on Monday, airport sources said.