KOLHAPUR: Two snake catchers have been arrested by the Sangli forest department for allegedly killing and consuming the meat of an Indian monitor lizard.
Dadaso Tukaram Pol and his son Harshal Dadaso Pol have been granted one-day forest custody by first class magistrate Kadegaon.
Vijay Mane, deputy conservator of forests, Sangli, said, “A resident of Kadepur called Dadaso Pol to rescue the wild animal found in his house. As per law, the rescuers must communicate with forest officials before releasing the animal into its natural habitat. Instead of telling us, the snake catchers took the wild lizard to their house, killed it and probably ate it. We have booked both men under the Wildlife Protection Act and such crimes invite strict punishment.”
The forest department has launched a helpline number — 1926 — for the common people to inform them on spotting any wild animal. The foresters have appealed to people to use the helpline number and avoid killing wild animals.
The forest officials stated that the animal’s remains found at Pol’s farm were sent to a Hyderabad-based lab for testing. The test helped confirmed that they were that of the Indian monitor lizard.
Earlier this year, in June, the Sangli forest department had registered a case against a so-called animal activist for illegally caging 37 wild birds as well as animals. The forest department had received a tip that several birds and animals had been kept in cages at the rescuer’s home after which officials had raided the premises. In total, 25 kites, an owl, a heron, an eagle, two storks, two monkeys and four tortoises were found on the premises.
