Bettiah: Panic gripped Harinagar railway station on Thursday night after a giant python was spotted inside the ticket counter room around 11pm.Passengers who had arrived to purchase tickets were startled on noticing the reptile and quickly moved away from the counter, causing a brief commotion at the station.Station master Raj Kumar Oraon, who was informed about the incident, alerted the local ward councillor and forest department officials.Recalling the incident, Oraon said, “At that time, there was a crowd of passengers waiting to travel by a passenger train. As soon as people spotted the python, they panicked for a while and started running in different directions. We immediately informed the forest department and called the rescue team.”A forest department rescue team soon reached the station and, after taking necessary precautions, captured the python. The reptile was later released safely in the forest area of Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR).The rescue brought relief to passengers and railway employees.Ram Nagar ranger Vijay Kumar Prasad said the team was dispatched immediately after receiving the information and appealed to people to remain alert during the monsoon.“Wild animals may come into populated areas during the rainy season. Therefore, instead of panicking after spotting them, people should exercise caution and remain alert. They should not disturb or tease wild animals and should immediately inform the forest department,” he said.Forest officials urged people not to approach or handle wild animals and to seek professional help.
