Risky passion

In most cases,he gets a call from the local police or fire brigade seeking his help. Both departments have listed his mobile number as the contact person for such emergencies.

Sharma’s recent prize catches include a rock python,a pit viper,a krait and a baby cobra. All four were released into the wild under the supervision of the forest department.

The teenager’s first encounter with the reptiles was about six years ago,when he found that one of his many pet cats was killed by a snake bite. “When I was about 13 or 14,I had 20 pet cats. But a few of them died mysteriously. One day,I saw that a poisonous snake was the culprit. I managed to catch it and took it to a nearby open space. I had no training and it was dangerous. It was just instinct,” he recalls.

Soon,Pawan decided to hone his skills. For this,he found a mentor in Thane-based snake expert Anil Kubal. Under his guidance,Pawan learnt to identify different species of serpents and their behaviour. “Any snake’s first instinct always is to run away from human beings. It only attacks if it feels it is cornered or if someone steps on it. Unfortunately,in areas around Sanjay Gandhi National Park such as Goregaon or Powai,I have seen such incidents happen quite often.”

The learning process was fraught with hazards. The youngster has had brushes with danger and his share of luck. He says he has been bitten on quite a few occasions,but has not been at the receiving end of a venomous snake’s wrath yet.

Pawan is in his second year of mass media studies at S M Shetty College,Powai. A jovial person,he loves hanging out with friends,watching movies and going to restaurants. Of course,his unique hobby gives him a dimension that nobody in his friends’ circle can possibly have. But then,that’s just collateral benefits.