Tamil Nadu man loses tongue to snake bite after following astrologer’s advice

India Today:

The advice of an astrologer to a farmer in Tamil Nadu’s Erode turned out to be disastrous when his tongue was bitten by a Russell’s Viper. The victim, identified as 54-year-old Raja from Kopichettipalayam frequently dreamt of being bitten by a snake when he decided to approach an astrologer.

The astrologer advised Raja to go to a snake temple and perform some rituals as a remedy to the ill dreams. As advised, the farmer went to the temple and performed the rituals and at the end, Raja stuck his tongue out thrice in front of a Russell’s Viper and the poisonous snake bit his tongue in a jiffy.

When the temple priest saw him, he immediately cut his tongue off and rushed him to Erode Manian Medical Centre where he was treated. The man also fell unconscious while he was being taken to a hospital.

Senthil Kumaran, Managing Director, Manian Medical Centre said that the doctors treated Raja for his severed tongue and also gave him an antidote for the snake venom.