Following the incident, villagers organised a farewell, treating the animal’s death with ceremonial observances. According to local accounts, the body was covered with a white cloth, adorned with flowers, and placed on a trolley that was taken through the village before burial.
Residents said the animal remained between the snake and the children during the encounter.
A stray dog in Mayurbhanj district has been widely acknowledged by local residents after it died following an encounter with a venomous snake near a primary school, an incident in which more than 30 children were present.
The dog, later named Kali by villagers, was part of the local stray population in Dhirakula village. According to reports, the incident occurred at around 8:30 am on a Monday near Sri Jagannath Sishu Vidya Mandir, where a group of kindergarten students had gathered outside the school premises.
Witness accounts indicate that a snake approached the area where the children were seated. Before any intervention could take place, the dog moved towards the reptile and engaged it.
Residents said the animal remained between the snake and the children during the encounter. According to local reports, the dog continued the confrontation despite repeated strikes from the snake.
The snake was eventually killed during the incident. However, the dog sustained a bite to the mouth and later died, with villagers attributing the death to the effects of venom.
No injuries to the children were reported.
A stray dog named Kali in Mayurbhanj, Odisha, heroically fought & k!lled a venomous snake to save 30 kindergarten kids. Bitten repeatedly, she d!ed from the venom. Villagers gave her a heartfelt funeral procession with flowers & white cloth pic.twitter.com/EEmBxmNJih — Ghar Ke Kalesh (@gharkekalesh) April 22, 2026
The episode has drawn attention locally, with residents describing the animal’s actions as having prevented potential harm. For many in the village, the dog’s presence had previously gone largely unnoticed.
Following the incident, villagers organised a farewell, treating the animal’s death with ceremonial observances. According to local accounts, the body was covered with a white cloth, adorned with flowers, and placed on a trolley that was taken through the village before burial.
One report noted that residents “bid an emotional farewell to the animal, performing its last rites with full rituals usually reserved for humans.”
The incident has also prompted renewed reflection on attitudes towards stray dogs. Concerns around dog-related incidents remain prevalent across India. Government data cited in public reports indicate that dog bite cases reached approximately 4,29,664 in 2025.