Virar: The Mandvi Forest Department has arrested three suspects for attempting to sell a snake of the Mandul species (Red Sand Boa) in the Virar East region.
Acting on a tip-off regarding the illegal sale of the snake in the Kashid Koper area of Virar East, a team of Forest Range Officers laid a trap and apprehended three smugglers.
Somnath Popat Adke (49), Chandrakant Gyanoba Nayargoje (42), Arun Mahadev Landge (62)
One Mandul snake and a four-wheeler vehicle were confiscated from the accused. A case has been registered under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and further legal proceedings are underway.
The Forest Department emphasized that strict action will be taken against those involved in the illegal trade of wildlife. The report highlights that the smuggling of Mandul snakes is driven by deep-rooted superstitions.
There is a common misconception that keeping this snake at home brings prosperity or "rains money" during religious rituals.
Some believe the snake helps in finding hidden treasures or ensures success in occult practices performed on New Moon (Amavasya) nights.
These snakes are also smuggled to countries like China and Japan for use in traditional medicines.
Due to these superstitions, these snakes are sold for lakhs of rupees (hundreds of thousands) in major cities like Mumbai, leading to a rise in active smuggling gangs in the region.
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