Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)
Puttur, Jul 6: The police, on Monday July 4 night, arrested a gang that was trying to sell a two-headed snake to intending buyers from Purusharakatte here. The snake as well as a car used by the gang for travel were seized from their possession.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday July 5, assistant superintendent of police, Rishvanth, said that during the raid, M N Shashidhar from Madhugiri, N Ratan Gowda from Kunigal, car driver, Gagan M B from Madikeri, and Saleem C K, a resident of Atoor in the taluk, were arrested. Out of them, Shashidhar, Saleem and Ratan work for a garments factory at Bengaluru. The fourth one, Ratan, had found the said snake when tilling his field.
After Ratan revealed his find to Shashidhar and Saleem, Saleem convinced him that two-headed snakes are in high demand in districts like Dakshina Kannada, Shivamogga, Chikkamgalur where it can fetch several lacs of rupees. Under the guidance of Saleem, the three had brought Gagan, working as driver in a private company, by offering high hire charges, to Sullia.
Saleem, who hails from Puttur, and is therefore well-versed with the area here, tried to sell the snake by demanding a price of two to three lac rupees, but failed to get any interested buyers at Panja and other places. They tried convince the people that presence of this snake brings luck to the family, and they will turn affluent.
On Monday, the foursome reached Purusharakatte where they continued with efforts to sell the snake. The police team reached there, took them into custody, and booked them under Wildlife Protection Act. They have been remanded to judicial custody now.
Dakshina Kannada district superintendent of police, Bhushan I Borase, additional superintendent, Vadamurthy, assistant police superintendent, Rishvanth, guided the operation in which town station inspector, Mahesh Prasad led a team of officials.
The press conference was attended by town station inspector, Mahesh Prasad, and sub-inspector, Abdul Khader.