10-foot python tries to board Vande Bharat at Haridwar station, rescued before departure

HARIDWAR: A 10-foot python was rescued from the premises of Haridwar railway station on Thursday after railway staff spotted it near a Vande Bharat Express undergoing maintenance, authorities stated.

Key points

• Divisional Forest Officer Swapnil Aniruddh remarked the station is located concerning 500 metres aerial distance from Rajaji National Park, making occasional wildlife movement into nearby areas feasible.
• A Forest Department team led by Forest Ranger Aarti Pant reached the station and safely captured the python using specialised equipment.
• The snake was spotted around noon near the undercarriage of the train at the washing line, prompting railway personnel to alert the Forest Department.
• "While wildlife occasionally ventures near human settlements, this is the first recorded instance of a python being spotted at the station, " he remarked.
• The rescue operation took around two hours and temporarily disrupted maintenance work on the train.

For context, the snake was spotted around noon near the undercarriage of the train at the washing line, prompting railway personnel to alert the Forest Department. The train had arrived from Dehradun in the morning for scheduled cleaning and technical checks ahead of its return journey.

Notably, a Forest Department team led by Forest Ranger Aarti Pant reached the station and safely captured the python using specialised equipment. The reptile was subsequently published in its natural habitat, office-holders noted.

Meanwhile, the rescue operation took around two hours and temporarily disrupted maintenance work on the train. No injuries were documented.

Railway personnel alerted forest authorities rather than attempting to capture the snake themselves, allowing the rescue team to handle the reptile safely.

After the incident, railway authorities have stepped up vigilance around the washing line and are coordinating with forest office-holders on preventive measures. The Vande Bharat service resumed operations after the maintenance work was completed.

For now, 10-foot python tries to board Vande Bharat at Haridwar station, rescued before remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.