Morena | In a freak incident, an 18-year girl died on Sunday in Madhya Pradesh's Morena district of snakebite after the reptile had been dismembered by a fodder cutting machine, a police official said.

The incident took place in Naudanda village under Bamsauli panchayat in Sabalgarh area, about 65 km from the district headquarters, Rampur police station house officer (SHO) Rammantra Gupta said.

"Bharti Kushwaha was cutting green fodder at her home when a snake hidden in the pile got caught in the machine and was sliced into three parts. While lifting fodder, she was bitten on the hand even though the snake's head had been severed," he said.

Her kin first took her to local healers in three nearby villages for traditional treatment, but her condition deteriorated, after which she was rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead, the official added.

A proposal for financial assistance to her family will be sent to the government as per rules, Gupta informed.

As per experts, the bite reflex, which is a powerful survival instinct of a snake, can be triggered for some time after the reptile's death.