THE HINDU (Chennai, India) 05 August 08 Five snakes seized from catchers
Hyderabad: Just a couple of days prior to the ‘Naga Panchami’ festival, Sahyog’ an animal protection organisation, seized five live snakes from different parts of the city and outskirts.
These included three cobras, a viper and a rat snake. They were seized from snake-catchers at Urramgadda, Shivrampally and Kothapet Rythu Bazar by the volunteers of Sahyog Organisation.
“There will be hectic trading of snakes in different areas of the city in the coming three days on account of ‘Naga Panchami’. We are deputing our volunteers across the city on constant vigil,” Mahesh Agarwal, general secretary of Sahyog said. The captured snakes would be sent to the zoo after two days at transit home, he said. Snakes are captured in large numbers for ‘Naga Panchami’ festival, supposedly an auspicious day on which people believe that viewing of a cobra brings good luck. Captured snakes are in turn hired for a day by small-time traders to be displayed across the households on the festival.
After the festival, the captured snakes are skinned and left to die a miserable death. People may alert Sahyog organisation about any snake sighting on 92461-75600.
Five snakes seized from catchers