A constable attached with the Maharashtra State Reserved Police Force (SRPF) was arrested under sections of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, on Sunday, for allegedly trying to trade a red sand boa snake in exchange of a hefty amount. This commonly found non-venomous snake also referred to as the double-headed snake — due to its blunt tail — is allegedly priced from anything between a lakh to even a crore in the illegal trade market depending upon its length and weight. The reason behind this huge amount is the belief that the snake can bring good luck and wealth. As per Darshan Thakur, Range Forest Officer (RFO), Khardi, he had received a tipoff about a person, who was trying to sell off a red sand boa snake. Thakur posed as a businessman and struck a deal with Kiran Pawar — the accused. Along with eleven staff members, including those from Thane anti-poaching unit, Pawar was called with the five feet snake weighing 2.5kg near Shilfata at Kalyan on Sunday evening, for the deal. "All our staff were in civil uniform. At first, one of our staff members, posing as my assistant, went and met Pawar and confirmed if he had brought the snake. He then called me to come and check the snake. I carried a bag along with me to show that I have the money and after seeing the snake, we told Pawar that we needed to check its weight and asked him to come along and later, detained him. Then, after completing the necessary paperwork, he was arrested at 11pm," Thakur said adding that Pawar was a constable with the SRPF and was posted at Vasai as a driver. With Pawar being sent to police custody until April 24, the forest department will now interrogate the involvement of others and how they got hold of the snake. The red sand boa is one of the most sought after snake species in illegal wildlife trade and keeping it as a pet is illegal. "The myth includes that it can lead to good luck and wealth if kept in homes or offices as a pet. Also, a great demand for it in the illegal market is driven by the myth of it having supernatural healing powers with regard to cancer, HIV/AIDS," said a conservationist, who works on exposing such illegal wildlife traders. This snake lives in burrows and has a blunt tail. Snake catchers are known to apply black paint on its tail and at times even brand it with iron rods to create two eyes on its blunt tail to pass it off as its second head. There is also a misconception that it has aphrodisiac qualities. Sunish Kunju, Wildlife Warden for Mumbai City and Founder of Plants Animals Welfare Society (PAWS-Mumbai) who was part of the operation informed that with increasing demands in the illegal market and misinformation people catch it and try to sell it. "The snake is in our possession for caretaking and once we get permission from the Court it will be released in its natural habitat," he said.

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