Bagalkote: Four arrested for selling genitals of wild animals
Their business thrives on gullible and superstitious people
Bagalkot: The arrest of alleged astrologers and ‘Ayurvedic medicine sellers’ recently by Bagalkot police is testimony to how gullible women who are desperate to get conceived, are ready even to adopt illegal methods to become mothers. It is also testimony to the people who believe in superstitions and wish to become rich quickly.
The incident came to light when Bagalkot police arrested four persons including an ‘astrologer’ and ‘Ayurvedic medicines sellers.
According to the police, the accused were illegally selling the genitals of Bengal Monitor Lizard, a protected species under Wildlife Protection Act 1972 where poaching of the animal is prohibited. The accused were also selling Sea Fans, a type of Coral, which is banned from selling.
The accused were trying to convince the gullible people that while gentiles of Bengal Monitor Lizards help in treating infertility among women, the Sea Fans bring luck and people can become rich quickly. They were reportedly taking high prices from the customers for the products.
According to Forest Officials who nabbed the culprits, the modus operandi of the accused is that, while the ‘Astrologers were marketing the banned objects and finding out potential customers, the ‘Ayurvedic medicine shop owners’ were supplying objects.
“ They were primarily looking for women desperate to become mothers and people who strongly believe in superstitions and wish to become rich overnight”, the officials said.
They said that based on the confirmed information, the forest officials of Bengaluru, Belagavi and Bagalkot prepared a joint action plan to take on the accused.
“ The forest officials, in the guise of gullible customers, approached Ayurvedic and Vanaspati Store located in Bagalkot. During the interaction, it was confirmed beyond doubt the man was selling the Genitals of Bengal monitor lizard and Sea Fans. After which the shop owner Irappa Jirali (61) was arrested first”, the officials said.
Continuing that operation, they raided another shop owned by Pavan Jirali (29), who is the son of Irappa Jirali, in Bilagi town of the district.
During the interrogation, both of them revealed and reportedly admitted of their crime that they were selling the banned objects through an astrologer Sannavirappa Vibhuti, who is a resident of Jamkhandi town.
Basappa Siddagiri, was also arrested who was an employee of Pavan Jirali.
During the raid, the forest officials seized 79 Bengal Monitor Lizard genitals and 503 sea fans. All the four accused have been sent to judicial custody. The case has been registered under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 under the Forest Mobile Squad of Belagavi.
Shankar Kalolikar, Deputy Conservator of Forests said that the operation was launched after Seema Garg, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Vigilance alerted about the illegal marketing of Bengal monitor lizards and sea fans.
“ We launched the operation and succeeded in arresting the racket. However, we suspect that there is an interstate link behind this illegal wildlife marketing business. We will continue our investigation”, he said.
Meanwhile, he appealed to the people not to become victim of such fraudulent people and lose money.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
