‘Missing’ Ghatkopar man killed over red sand boa deal,five arrested

A 47-year-old man, who went missing two months ago, was allegedly murdered over the sale of a red sand boa — an endangered snake species — according to Ghatkopar police.

A 47-year-old man, who went missing two months ago, was allegedly murdered over the sale of a red sand boa — an endangered snake species — according to Ghatkopar police.

Ghatkopar man killed over red sand boa deal. (AFP photo)

On Sunday, the police arrested five men – Pradeep Shankar Surve, 47; Vinod Shudrik, 30; Suresh Sonawane, 33; Akshay Avghade, 23 and Shabbir Qureshi – for allegedly killing Uday Pal for not delivering a captured snake after receiving the payment for it.

According to the police, Pal had told his wife that he was going to Karad in Satara on June 17 for work.

As he did not return after a few days and his mobile was switched off, Pal’s wife Savitri, 38, filed a missing complaint with Ghatkopar police on June 23. During the investigation, the police scanned his call records and found that he was involved in the sand boa deal.

The police said Pal had taken ₹21 lakh from the prime accused Surve, who was to later sell the captured snakes.

“Pal took money from Surve, but never gave him the snake,” said MV Khandare, sub-inspector, Ghatkopar police station.

Surve, according to the police, was infuriated when Pal began demanding ₹2 lakh more.

On June 18, when Pal met Surve at Karad, he took Pal to a secluded spot and along with his accomplices, Shudrik, Sonawane and Avghade, assaulted him up with a wooden stick.

The police said Qureshi helped them dump Pal’s body — which has since been recovered — in a gorge at Kumbharli Ghat in Chiplun.

According to the police, the red sand boa is worth lakhs of rupees in the international smuggling market as many believe that it has medicinal properties and brings good luck.