It is native to the Indian subcontinent and is responsible for the majority of snakebites affecting humans in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

[3] Their coloration is generally black or bluish-black, with about 40 thin, white crossbars, which may be indistinct or absent anteriorly.

[3] This common krait is distributed from West Bengal to Sindh, throughout South India, and Sri Lanka, at elevations up to about 1,600 m (5,200 ft).

[4] It lives in a wide variety of habitats, from fields and low scrub jungle to settled areas.

It rests in termite mounds, brick piles, rat holes, and even inside houses.

At night, though, the snake is very active and escapes by hissing loudly, or keeping still, occasionally biting the source of the annoyance.

When agitated, it coils up with its head concealed and body flattened, and makes jerky movements.

[8] The common krait is nocturnal, so seldom encounters humans during daylight; incidents occur mainly at night.

Typically, victims complain of severe abdominal cramps, accompanied by progressive paralysis.