Snake freed from immobilising coat of coal tar by rescuers

This video shows a snake being freed from a layer of coal tar so thick that it can’t move.

The incapacitated common krait snake was discovered in coalfields in central India’s Chhattisgarh state.

The reptile can be seen immobile in a basket before a rescuer starts scraping the dark viscous substance off its scaly skin.

The team worked for 45 minutes to completely clean the creature before finally releasing it into the wild. The snake can be seen slithering away into the bush.