Bhubaneswar, Nov. 29: A day ahead of President Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to the city-based Ramadevi Autonomous Women’s College, a team of snake rescuers reportedly caught hold of a cobra from near the venue, where the function is scheduled tomorrow.

The 4-ft long male snake was found about 50 metres form the main venue, said Suvendu Mallick, secretary of the Snake Helpline, which deals with the rescue, rehabilitation and research of these reptiles.

Mallick said he had received a call from the college officials around 12 noon. He rushed to the college, where labourers working on the site said they had spotted a snake in the area that later disappeared. After running a search, the snake was found inside an empty abandoned water tank.

The ground was cleared of weeds and bushes a few days ago to beautify the campus and set up the stage. “Snakes are cold-blooded animals that change their body temperature according to their surroundings. The bush-cutting must have disturbed it, that’s why it crawled into the tank,” said Mallick, who took the snake with him.

The college authorities, however, refused to buy the story. “It’s a false story. We had no snake on the campus. It’s simply a rumour, and people are making stories in order to create trouble for us and cancel the event,” said principal Chitrangada Samantasinghar.

“We have been sleeping on the site for the past five days, and there are nothing except mosquitoes. The snake story is completely false,” said S. Nanda, an official of the event management group.

Deputy commissioner of police Satyabrata Bhoi said: “We have sanitised the dais. The snake might have been found elsewhere.”

According to the schedule, the President will attend the golden jubilee celebrations of the college at 5.15pm. He will arrive on the college campus at 5.10pm and stay there till 6.15pm, said the Principal.

During the event, the President will felicitate the college alumni and release a documentary on the ideals of Maa Ramadevi, “the Guardian Angel of the College”, and the institution’s history.

However, the inauguration of a 7-foot-tall commemorative statue, created by sculptor Raghunath Mohapatra and designed on the theme of women’s empowerment, by the President was cancelled due to security reasons.