Malkangiri, Ap 29: Panic ensued at the Malkangiri District Headquarters Hospital on Wednesday morning when a large cobra was spotted inside the Ganesh temple located within the hospital premises.

According to reports, the incident occurred early in the morning when the temple priest arrived to perform his daily puja. He was startled to find a cobra with its hood raised inside the temple and immediately raised the alarm.

A crowd of patients and attendants quickly gathered outside the temple, and hospital authorities were notified. A local snake rescue team was called in to handle the situation.

The rescue team arrived promptly and safely captured the cobra, which witnesses said appeared aggressive and had reportedly swallowed a rat.

Hospital doctors speculated that the snake may have entered the premises from the nearby dense forest. Authorities assured that measures would be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.