Sand boa snake worth Rs 50 lakh seized in Maharashtra

A red sand boa snake, which is a protected species under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, has been seized and one person arrested from Maharashtra's Navi Mumbai township, police said on Tuesday.

Acting on a tip-off, the police kept a watch near a bus stand in Panvel area of Navi Mumbai and seized the snake, worth around Rs 50 lakh in the illegal wildlife market, from one Prasad Jadhav (20) on Sunday, Navi Mumbai police's assistant inspector Nilesh Rane said.

Jadhav, who was trying to sell the reptile, was arrested and booked under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and Wildlife (Protection) Act, he said.

Sand boas are used for making certain medicines, cosmetics and in black magic, and are in huge demand in the international market.

"The non-poisonous snake has a blunt tail with rounded tip. A rounded head similar to the shape of its tail gives rise to a misbelief that it has two heads and is used to cheat people by claiming that it will bring good luck," Rane said.

The police were trying to find out whom the accused wanted to sell the snake, he added.