SABARIMALA: Forest officials on Sunday caught a king cobra from the premises of the famed Lord Ayyappa Temple here, which has been witnessing a heavy rush ahead of the upcoming Makaravilakku festival.
The reptile was caught from a nearby "bhasmakulam' at Sannidhanam (temple complex) in the morning by specially trained snake rescuers of the forest department.
It was for the first time that a "rajavembala" (king cobra) was being caught from the shrine premises, according to an official statement.
Surveillance was already intensified in the area after the presence of a snake was reported on the temple premises recently and the king cobra was found amidst this, it said.
The snake was released into the dense forest after being brought down to Pampa, the base camp.
Earlier, a king cobra had been caught in Pamba.
The Forest Department has intensified its surveillance at Sannidhanam and its premises ahead of the Makaravilakku festival on January 14.
As many as 243 snakes have been caught so far from Sannidhanam and Marakkoottam during the ongoing pilgrimage season since November 15, 2024, department sources added.