The two were caught smuggling the ‘two-headed’ snake during a routine check during the lockdown.
Two men in Bengaluru, under the guise of delivery executives, were out to deliver an unusual package on Thursday midst the lockdown. They were, however, stopped by the police as part of the routine check. To the surprise and shock of the police officials, instead of the usual groceries and fresh vegetables, they found a ‘two-headed’ snake in the delivery basket. The Joint Commissioner of Police of the Central Crime Branch said that the two men have been identified as Mohammad Rizwan (26) and Azar Khan (27). The two were caught at Basappa Gardens near Saraki Circle in the city on Thursday. One of them is a delivery executive with a private company in Bengaluru, who used the movement pass (to deliver essential goods), issued by the police, to smuggle the snake in the container of their vehicle. They have been arrested for smuggling this rare snake and misusing the pass for illegal activity. The ‘two-headed snake’, as it is commonly referred to, is commonly known as the Indian Sand Boa. It does not actually have two heads, as the name suggests, but its tail looks like a head. This non-venomous snake uses its head-like tail as a defense mechanism and hides its actual head when under threat. The red sand boa is a near-threatened species. Thus, the snake is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, and offenders will be booked under this act. The snake allegedly has some medical properties, and there are multiple superstitions associated with the snake, including the perception that some may have a gem embedded in their head (naga mani). The snake is also allegedly used in ‘black magic’. People who believe these rumours are allegedly willing to pay a huge sum of money to procure this snake. News articles on the topic quote crores and lakhs of rupees to possess this snake, but it all comes down to how much the buyer is willing to pay. In September 2016, four people in Bengaluru were arrested for trying to sell the protected snake for $1,500 (approximately Rs 99,000 then). They were caught as part of a sting operation, where the police posed as interested buyers.
Body 2:
from Karnataka https://ift.tt/2XZHRrG
via IFTTT
No comments:
Post a Comment