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.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Two arrested in K'taka for assaulting minors, uploading CSAM content
Bengaluru (PTI): Two men were arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two minor girls, recording the acts on mobile phones and uploading the videos online as child sexual abuse material, police said on Thursday.
The accused have been identified as Kiran Kumar (29), hailing from Chitradurga district, and Aditya M K (20), hailing from Shivamogga district, they said.
A probe was initiated after information was received from the NCRP portal regarding a suspected instance of creation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) for online dissemination, police said.
Accordingly, a case was registered at Kaggalipura Police Station under relevant sections of the IT Act on May 10, they added.
Investigation revealed that two minor girl victims were exploited and videos were created and uploaded to the internet. The child victims have subsequently recorded their statements as per procedure and further necessary legal steps have been taken, Pronab Mohanty Director General of Police, Cyber Command, said in a statement.
Based on the statements of the victims, the accused persons, who allegedly assaulted the minors, recorded the acts on mobile phones and uploaded the videos online, were arrested, he said.
Following the probe, sections 65(2) (rape) and 70 (gangrape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant sections of the POCSO Act, have been added to the FIR, police said.
Officials collected relevant information and on May 12, arrested the accused persons and seized three mobile phones belonging to them, in which the videos had allegedly been recorded, he said.
The accused were later produced before the court and taken into police custody for further investigation, he added.
According to him, in CSAM cases, police usually apprehend offenders who have downloaded such content or have kept them in their possession after obtaining them from elsewhere, usually the internet.
"The present case is one of the very few instances where content creators and uploaders have been apprehended," Mohanty added.
