A red sand boa snake, which is a protected species under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, has been seized and one person arrested from Maharashtra’s Navi Mumbai Township, police said on Tuesday.
According to police they got a tip from their sources and following which they kept a watch near a bus stand in the Panvel area of Navi Mumbai and seized the snake, worth around Rs 50 lakh in the illegal wildlife market. Navi Mumbai police’s assistant inspector Nilesh Rane said, the accused who was trying to sell the reptile, was arrested and booked under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and Wildlife (Protection) Act. The accused identified as Prasad Jadhav (20).
Sand boas used for making certain medicines, cosmetics, and black magic, and are in huge demand in the international market.
Rand further said, “The non-poisonous snake has a blunt tail with a rounded tip. A rounded head similar to the shape of its tail gives rise to a misbelief that it has two heads and is used to cheat people by claiming that it will bring good luck.”
Currently, police are questioning the accused to whom he wanted to sell the snake.
