Bettiah: Panic gripped the crowded Tanki Bazaar area of Valmikinagar on Friday evening after a 14-ft Burmese python was spotted slithering across the Bagaha–Valmikinagar main road near the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR), briefly bringing traffic to a standstill as startled shoppers and commuters looked on.According to local residents, the python was sighted around 7pm when the market was bustling with shoppers and commuters. The reptile is believed to have strayed from the adjoining forests of VTR along the Indo-Nepal border.Nasim Khan, a local resident, said pedestrians first noticed the snake as it crossed the Bagaha–Valmikinagar main road. “People immediately stepped back and bikers stopped their vehicles. Within minutes, vehicles lined up on both sides of the road as everyone waited for the snake to move away,” he said.Traffic resumed only after the python slowly crossed the road and disappeared into nearby bushes, allowing commuters to proceed. He said such sightings are common in the area due to its proximity to the forest. Pythons often venture into residential pockets in search of food and sometimes prey on poultry or goats kept near houses.Wildlife expert Abhishek said three species of pythons are found in India — the Indian rock python, reticulated python and Burmese python. Of these, the reticulated python is found in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The VTR has a significant population of pythons.He said the python spotted on the road was a Burmese python, which occasionally enters human settlements while searching for food. Being one of the largest snakes in the world, Burmese pythons can grow up to six metres in length, with an average size of about 3.5 metres.The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, he added.
