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Ludhiana man held with seven snakes in Kharar
Snakes were supplied by Hardik Anand who allegedly provided reptiles to singer Fazilpuria and Elvish Yadav for a music video, say cops; two months after Noida police arrested five people and booked YouTuber Elvish Yadav for allegedly providing snake-venom opioids at a party in Noida, local police on Thursday arrested a Ludhiana resident near Kharar bus stand and recovered seven snakes.
Two months after Noida police arrested five people and booked YouTuber Elvish Yadav for allegedly providing snake-venom opioids at a party in Noida, local police on Thursday arrested a Ludhiana resident near Kharar bus stand and recovered seven snakes including four cobras and three rat snakes from him.
The accused was identified as Shikander, 34, of Basant Avenue, Dugri, Ludhiana. Kharar police also booked the alleged supplier Hardik Anand of Burari, Delhi.
The accused was nabbed by a four-member team of animal welfare activists associated with People For Animals (PFA), Delhi, including Gaurav Gupta, Saurav Gupta, Abhishek and Dugesh Patke along with PFA members from Ludhiana and a team of DFO Mohali, near Kharar bus stand.
Gaurav Gupta told Kharar police that Hardik Anand had supplied 20 snakes to Bollywood singer Fazilpuria and Elvish Yadav for shooting of a music video featuring them last year.
“After we lodged a complaint with Gurgaon police, Hardik handed over 10 banned snakes to his accomplice Shikander in Ludhiana suspecting a raid by the police. We posed as customers and called Shikander giving Hardik’s reference. When we told him that we required reptiles, he eventually agreed to give us seven snakes. When contacted, he called us at Kharar bus stand following which we informed PFA Ludhiana and Mohali divisional forest officer (DFO) and nabbed the accused with a bag carrying seven snakes including four Cobras,” Gaurav said.
Saurav Gupta, however, said Shikander revealed that Hardik, fearing police raids, handed over the reptiles to him around 10 days ago.
“Venom from all the four cobras was removed,” Saurav said, adding that 18 out of 20 snakes supplied to the singer and the YouTuber have now been recovered, including 11 cobras so far.
Earlier, Yadav was quizzed by the Noida police on November 8. When asked about the video with the snakes, he told police that the reptiles had been arranged by Fazilpuria.
Moreover in November, the Noida police arrested five people and recovered several snakes from their possession. The action was taken based on a sting operation carried out by PFA.
One of the accused told police that the snakes were for a party being hosted by Yadav. Police reportedly rescued nine snakes, including five cobras. They also allegedly found 20 ml of suspected snake venom.
After Gurgaon police did not register any case upon receiving a complaint from Delhi PFA against Yadav and Fazilpuria, PFA moved the Gurugram court concerned.
Gurugram police then submitted an action-taken report in the court, stating that Fazilpuria during interrogation revealed that he had taken permission to use snakes and ilunga lizard in his video from the Gurugram deputy commissioner, adding that the reptiles were supplied to them by Hardik.
Kharar City police have booked Shikander and Hardik Anand under sections 9, 39, 50, 51 of Wildlife (Protection) Act and under section 11 of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
