Snake on a train: Man kills serpent with bare hands

An Indonesian man who used his bare hands to kill a snake that was discovered slithering on a busy commuter train has become an Internet hero.

The train made an emergency stop after the reptile was spotted lurking on a baggage rack in a carriage headed to Jakarta from Bogor, south of the capital.

Smartphone footage, which quickly went viral, showed the bespectacled man casually snatch the snake's tail and then smash its head on the floor in a violent whipping motion.

The creature was apparently killed instantly as shocked spectators -- including a baton-wielding transit security officer -- kept their distance.

"We regret the incident and apologise to train travellers who were disturbed by it," spokeswoman Eva Chairunnisa told AFP. It is not uncommon to see livestock or pets travelling on public transport in rural Indonesia, but passengers are prohibited from taking animals on urban transport lines.