Bhubaneswar, July 26 (IANS): A deputy marshal of the Orissa assembly was hospitalised after being bitten by a snake minutes after it was discovered in the house Saturday night, officials said.

Snake catchers later took away the reptile.

Some assembly staff members found a snake Saturday coiled under a chair minutes after the house was adjourned. They raised an alarm. Suvendu Mallick, a snake helpline member immediately rushed to the spot and caught the reptile.

"It was a common wolf snake which is non-venomous. The snake bitten me first" Mallick told IANS. "It also bitten Amiya Satpathy, the deputy marshal of the assembly" he said.

Although Mallik said he is safe, Satpathy was immediately taken to the capital hospital where he is undergoing treatment. Hospital sources said he is out of danger.

On Thursday, the assembly was forced to suspend its proceedings after the staff inside the house spotted a snake. Snake catchers, security personnel and forest officials went into frantic search throughout the day to recover the reptile.

The house resumed business Friday with a doctor and a snake catcher on guard. Anti-snake venoms and other medicines were kept ready when the assembly proceeding was on. Even legislators were asked to wear shoes instead of usual slippers.

It was not immediately known if the snake recovered Saturday was the same snake that was spotted Thursday.