In a shocking violation of wildlife protection laws, a six-foot-long Indian Rock Python - a species protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 - was displayed during a Ganpati Visarjan event at Jaripatka in Maharashtra's Nagpur city on Sunday, September 7. The reptile's mouth had been crudely sealed with ordinary cello tape, raising concerns of wildlife cruelty and illegal trade.
The incident came to light after a video of the event went viral on social media on Monday. The footage shows men dressed in ritualistic costumes handling the python as part of an event organised under the banner of Kings Events. The video was flagged to the Help for Animal Welfare Association, Nagpur, by an animal lover, prompting an immediate complaint to the forest department.
Association president Ashish Khade, along with members Vishwajeet Uke, Swapnil Bodhane, Sachin Kakde, and Sachin Zode, ver-ified the video and traced the incident to a programme held at the residence of Komal Mo-bile Shop owner in Jaripatka. In their complaint, they al-leged that the python was used to attract crowds and generate money, an act they described as "clear animal cruelty."
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Speaking to Lokmat Times, Kings Events owner Karan Palani distanced himself from the controversy. "On the same day, we had four Ganpati Vi-sarjan events. I was not at the one where the reptile was dis-played. The client wanted people who perform 'aghori' rituals, so we hired a vendor to handle it. It is true that handling snakes may be ille-gal, but I really don't know from where the vendor brought the python," he said.
"Under the Wildlife Protec-tion Act, keeping snakes in captivity and displaying them in public is strictly prohib-ited. Such acts imply poach-ing, smuggling, and links with the illegal wildlife trade. This must be thoroughly in-vestigated." Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Yash Kale confirmed that the department has registered the case and initiated an inquiry. "We are investigating and will soon zero in on the culprits. It is a serious matter," he said.
Wildlife experts point out that snakes, including pythons, have long been revered in Indian culture, but their exploitation in public shows is not only illegal but also fuels animal cruelty and wildlife trafficking. This case has once again exposed the loopholes in monitoring and the reckless commercialisation of wildlife in festive events.