Officials of the Forest mobile squad on Monday arrested three persons and rescued seven monitor lizards, which they were trying to sell.
Based on a tip-off, a team, led by Deputy Conservator of Forest G.A. Gangadhar, raided Shafia hotel in Cheluru in Bagepalli town and arrested S. Ismail Zabiulla and his two associates, Rizwan Basha and Bawajan P., and rescued the reptiles.
The monitor lizards were caged and kept in the hotel owned by Ismail, officials said.
Initial probe revealed that the accused had purchased the reptiles from tribals in Srinivasapura and were selling it at higher prices. The monitor lizards are hunted for their medicinal value and for meat.
The accused have been booked under various sections of the Wildlife Act and remanded in judicial custody. The reptiles will be sent to the rescue centre in Bannerghatta after due procedure, officials added.
