PUNE: The Khadak police recently arrested a 28-year-old man for trying to sell a sand boa snake, a rare species popularly known as "two headed snake".
The Khadak police said that the suspect Fatarusab alias BabluNajir Shaikh of Ganeshkhind Road was looking for superstitious customers who believe that sand boas kept at home bring prosperity. The sand boa snake can fetch Rs 2 lakh in the market. The Khadak police team led by senior inspector Raghunath Jadhav has made the arrest.
"Poaching and sale of red sand boas are prohibited by the Wildlife Protection Act. Their cost varies (depending on the customer and intended use). Some buy the snakes for use in black magic, while others buy them in the belief that they have medicinal values," said Sanjay Gaikwad, sub-inspector of the Khadak police station.
Gaikwad said that the police constable Suresh Sonawane has received a tip-off that one person would coming on the Bajirao Road for selling sand boa. "We laid a trap and nabbed Shaikh," Gaikwad said.
He said that the police are investigating from where the suspect Shaikh and procured the sand boa. The investigating team comprised sub-inspector AnantVyavahare, police constables Vijay Kamble, EknathKandhare, MahendraPawar, DilipDhabhekar, Imran Nadaf and Aniket Babar.
