A woman in India died of a deadly snake bite after she wrapped the reptile around her neck to perform a religious ritual.

According to local media, the victim believed the reptile was the messenger of a Hindu deity. The woman, identified as Runiya Devi, was about to leave her home to attend a religious ceremony dedicated to deity Shiva, also known as the lord of the snakes, when she saw the reptile. The woman picked up the huge snake and wrapped it around her neck before attending the ceremony, Gulf News reported.

As the woman continued worshipping the deity, the reptile bit her several times. However, the woman and others around her were so engrossed in chanting religious hymns that no one realized she had been bitten by the snake. Suddenly, the woman fell unconscious with the snake still coiled around her neck, Zee News reported.

Instead of taking her to a local health center, the villagers called a local sorcerer to revive her. However, the man failed to save her life and she was declared dead. Some of the witnesses told local media the woman died because of deep-rooted superstition.

According to reports, the woman's life could have been saved had she been immediately taken to a hospital for treatment.

The species of the snake that bit the woman was not known. It also remained unclear what happened to the snake after it bit the woman.

Since ancient times, the people in India have followed a tradition of worshipping snakes as they are linked to several deities. As this practice still continues in some parts of the country, many people end up taking drastic measures that turn out to be fatal.

In a bizarre incident that occurred recently, a 65-year-old man who was bitten by a deadly snake tried to take revenge by biting it back. The man, who was reportedly heavily intoxicated when he bit the reptile, died the next day. The incident took place in a rural area in the state of Bihar. The victim was identified as Rama Mahto.

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