Mangalore: Forest Department officials have unearthed a python baby sales network and arrested four people, including a minor.
The arrested have been identified as Vihal H. Shetty (18), a resident of Badaga Ulippady in Mangalore, Ibrahim Shakeel Ismail (35), a pet shop owner near State Bank of Ullal Munnur village, Mohammed Mustafa (22), a shop employee of Ullal Harekala village, and a 16-year-old boy, a first PUC student of a college in Mangalore.
A team of the Forest Department led by Mangaluru Range Forest Officer Rajesh Baligar conducted the operation. Initially, the team approached Vihal on the pretext of buying pythons. A meeting was arranged near Kadri's Ashwath Katte, where Vihal agreed to sell the snake for Rs 45,000 and showed it to the buyer. At this point, the forest officials took him into custody. When questioned by the Mangalore Antiquarian, Vihal claimed that the snake was not his and that a minor had offered it for sale. Based on this information, the minor was contacted through Vihal and arrested near the mall.
Following information that snakes were also being sold at a pet shop in State Bank, the forest department sent a youth there in the guise of a customer. The staff there then called Vihal and said that they would bring the snake. Forest officials immediately raided the shop and arrested the owner and the staff. Star tortoises were also found in the shop, which were taken into custody.
Indian Rock Python (Hepburn), an animal listed under Schedule 1, Part C of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, was being sold abroad as Burmese Ball Python. A case has been registered under the Wildlife Protection Act. Some people were buying it with the intention of keeping it at home. Preliminary investigation has revealed that this network has connections up to Tamil Nadu. Further investigation will be conducted under the direction of Deputy Conservator of Forests Antony Mariappa and Assistant Conservator of Forests J. Clifford Lobo.