Mumbai: Auto driver rescues red sand boa worth lakhs at Aarey Colony

An auto driver's alertness saved the life of a red sand boa at Aarey Colony, an endangered snake that can fetch Rs 3 lakh in the black market for use in tantrik rituals

Activist Sunish Subramaniam Kunju with the red sand boa

An auto driver's alertness saved the life of a red sand boa, an endangered snake that can fetch Rs 3 lakh in the black market for use in tantrik rituals.

Also read - Mumbai: Man held for trying to sell red sand boa

The auto driver, Yogesh Lokhande, was driving through Aarey Colony on Saturday, when he spotted the snake on the road. He called Sunish Subramaniam Kunju, honorary wildlife warden of Mumbai and president of the NGO PAWS.

Also read - Mumbai: Red sand boas worth lakhs rescued from Aarey, Andheri

"We informed the Forest Department about it and immediately released the snake in the nearby forest," said Sunish, adding, "It is good to see alert citizens like Yogesh, who not only alerted us but stood guard at the spot till we arrived."

Also read: Rs 1 crore snake rescued near Mumbai Metro III site in Aarey Colony

Red sand boas are protected under Schedule 4 of the Wildlife Protection Act.

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