Two sand boa snakes seized in Maharashtra's Palghar, two booked

Two sand boa snakes, a protected species under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, were seized in Palghar district of Maharashtra and two persons were arrested, police said on Wednesday. Acting on a tip-off, the police kept a watch on the two men and seized the snakes, worth around Rs 1.5 crore in illegal wildlife market, from them on Tuesday, a police spokesperson said.

The two men, identified as Sunil Dhanawa (46) and Pawan Bhoya (38), were subsequently arrested, he said. They were booked under relevant provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, he said, adding that the police were trying to find out if the accused were trying to sell the snakes. Sand boa is used for making certain medicines, cosmetics and in black magic.

(With inputs from agencies.)