Kodagu snake rescuers under scanner in photo shoot case

The sleuths of Forest Mobile Squad in Kodagu have intensified their probe into the alleged king cobra photo shoot and illegal captivity case filed in Kodagu last month, where two persons from Satara district in Maharashtra and two snake rescuers from Kodagu were named in the FIR.

- AMIT S UPADHYE @Hubballi

Cases under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, were filed against them.

Notices have been served to two snake rescuers from Kodagu district — Roshan from Ammathi and Naveen Raki from Ponnampet — for allegedly keeping a king cobra in captivity to offer interested 'clients' to have a photoshoot with the reptile with an intention to make money.

The Forest Department officials grew suspicious after they saw social media posts by Roshan where he could be seen handling two king cobras, which is rare as per experts.