Viral video: Couple orders Xbox from Amazon, finds cobra in package; netizens say ’India is not for beginners’

A couple in Bengaluru discovered a snake in a package they had ordered online from Amazon on June 23. The couple, both software engineers, had ordered an Xbox controller but were alarmed to find a spectacled cobra inside the package. The venomous snake, fortunately, was stuck to packaging tape and could not cause harm, as per an India Today report.

They recorded a video of the incident and shared it on social media. "We ordered an Xbox controller 2 days ago from Amazon and received a live snake in the package. The package was directly handed over to us by the delivery partner (not left outside). We live on Sarjapur Road and captured the entire incident on camera, plus we have eyewitnesses to the same," the customer explained, as quoted by India Today.

"Fortunately, it (snake) was stuck to the packaging tape and did not harm anyone in our household or apartment. Despite the danger, Amazon's customer support put us on hold for over 2 hours, forcing us to handle the situation all by ourselves in the middle of the night (again proof captured in videos and photos)," she added, as quoted by India Today.

"We did receive a complete refund, but what do we get for risking our lives here with a highly venomous snake? This is clearly a safety breach caused solely by Amazon's negligence and their poor transportation/warehousing hygiene and supervision. Where is the accountability for such a serious lapse in safety?" she asked, as quoted by India Today.

Amazon's Response

In response to the video, Amazon tweeted, “We're sorry to know about the inconvenience you've had with the Amazon order. We'd like to have this checked. Please share the required details here, and our team will get back to you soon with an update,” as quoted by India Today.

The customer remarked, “They have just shared a full refund, which they should have anyway. But we did not receive any compensation or an official apology beyond that. Their typical 'we regret the inconvenience caused to you,' I believe, does not count. This is by all means not acceptable to us as Amazon customers and to their delivery partner as an employee. This is a clear breach of safety. Also, I do not think we will receive a satisfactory resolution anytime soon," as quoted by India Today.

The snake has been safely released away from public reach.