Footage shows a cobra found in a cage by officials in Odisha after it attempted to eat a rat trapped itself.

The adult four-feet-long cobra was spotted tightly squeezed inside a rat trap cage placed at the 12-Century Bhaskareswara Temple in Bhubaneswar in eastern India on Tuesday (December 10).

The cobra had killed the rat but was unable to eat it or make an exit through the narrow frills of the cage. While the snake lay helplessly, it hissed in anger if anyone tried to approach the cage.

Temple authorities called Snake Helpline for help and a volunteer Arun Baral was rushed to the temple.

The rescue was tricky as the cobra remained trapped for some time but would not let anyone approach the cage to set it free. Working patiently, Baral teased the four-feet-long cobra out and later released it safely in its natural habitat away from human settlement.

A few devotees at the temple said the cobra had come to pay respect to Lord Shiva, with whom it is closely associated in the mythology.

Founder of Snake Helpline Subhendu Mallik said: “There was nothing divine about it. The cobra entered the shrine in search of food, just that.”