Cobra rescued from JNU canteen

A four-foot-long spectacled cobra was found coiled near a gas cylinder inside the popular Tejas Canteen on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus on Tuesday afternoon.

The unwelcomed visitor created a state of panic among the canteen staff, who acted quickly and called Wildlife SOS for help.

Rescuers from the wildlife conservation group arrived within minutes and rescued the venomous snake. The cobra was later checked for injuries and released into its natural habitat.

Such incidents aren’t new for JNU, which shares a boundary with Sanjay Van, a sprawling urban forest in South Delhi known for its rich biodiversity. During the monsoon, experts say, snakes often stray into human settlements looking for food or shelter.

Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder of Wildlife SOS, said the staff’s calm response likely prevented a dangerous situation. “When people stay calm and call professionals, it’s a win for both safety and conservation,” he said.

Wildlife SOS rescuers used the opportunity to brief the canteen staff on what to do if they spot a snake again. “Encounters like this will only increase as our cities grow,” said Geeta Seshamani, co-founder of the group. “It’s important we learn to coexist rather than panic.”