A hair-raising video has captured the astonishing sight of a man giving a 'bath' to a huge king cobra in an open compound. The video, shared by Indian Forest Services officer Susanta Nanda on Twitter, shows a man using a bucket to pour water on the snake's head while the reptile stays still and doesn't display any signs of aggression. The man - who appears to be trained in handling snakes - is then seen cautiously petting the huge snake and pouring another bucket of water on its head to complete the bathing session.
While sharing the video on the microblogging platform, Mr Nanda warned his followers to not try this stunt at home, should they ever come across a snake. "Can be dangerous. Please don't try," he wrote.
Take a look at the video below:
Since being posted on Sunday, the 51-second-long video has gone viral on Twitter with over 73,000 views and dozens of stunned comments admiring the snake handler's courage.
Some in the comments section identified the man as wildlife conservationist and snake expert Vava Suresh.
Others praised his bravery and lack of fear while handling one of the most venomous snakes on the planet.
King cobras are the longest venomous snake species on earth. According to the National Geographic, they can literally "stand up" and look a full-grown person in the eye. The amount of neurotoxin they can deliver in a single bite is enough to kill 20 people.