Puri: A 12-foot-long female python weighing around 15 kg was rescued near the railway coaching depot in Puri on Tuesday morning. The snake is currently in quarantine under the supervision of the forest department and will later be released at a safe location.The python was spotted roaming near the railway coaching depot around 10.30 am, following which railway staff contacted members of the Snake Helpline. A joint team comprising Snake Helpline members and forest department personnel rescued the reptile.Puri divisional forest officer Magar Dhanaji Raoso said the python was safe and under observation. The forest department has formed a team to investigate how the snake reached the railway premises. The inquiry will be conducted in coordination with railway authorities, he said.Snake Helpline member Sangram Keshari Das, who was involved in the rescue, said he received a phone call along with a video of the python near the railway station. He subsequently contacted the forest range officer.However, the circumstances under which the python reached the area remain unclear. Das suspects that someone may have abandoned the snake following the death of snake handler Tapan Pradhan from a snakebite in Puri.According to Das, Pradhan had reportedly kept a similar python at his residence and made several videos with it. He suspects that someone may have released the reptile after Pradhan’s death. However, the suspected connection is yet to be established and will require investigation.Das also urged the forest department to take action against those who illegally capture and keep snakes instead of handing them over to the authorities.