Snake charmers get defanged

BBMP and police get together to arrest key people involved in distributing snakes for NagapanchamiTWO leaders from the snake charmers' community have been put behind bars for possessing the reptiles, which is against wildlife laws. Police arrested Abdul Razzaq, president, and Abdul Hussain, vice-president of the Snake Charmers' Association for possessing a cobra, rat snakes and a racer, on Nagapanchami. They were the key men who violated the Indian wildlife act, said a BBMP wildlife cell source. They were trapped after a meticulous exercise to track them.Preventive actionAccording to sources, the arrests were intended to put an end to over 400 snake charmers using the reptiles for rituals, black magic and street shows. Fatal charm: Snakeu00a0 charmers use harmful chemicals which usually lead to the reptiles' death file pic The two had arranged for thousands of snakes to be displayed across the city on the eve of the festival. These included species such as the Bronze Back, Trinket, Common Kukri, Russel Viper and Cobra whichu00a0 would have been defanged and then used for shows.Also, some of the chemicals used on them affected their health, often resulting in death, say wildlife volunteers. All reptiles including snakes these charmers bring are listed in three schedules, says Sharath Babu, advisor, wildlife cell, BBMP. Possessing them without a valid permission from wildlife authorities is a violation of the Indian Wildlife Act.Though the wildlife cell has promised to rehabilitate the charmers with training and financial assistance to set up handlooms, they are reluctant to give it all up, say police. Snake charmers earn at least a thousand rupees every two days through street shows and magic shows. We hope the arrest will cut down the number of snake-charmers in the city, said Nagbhushan, a wildlife volunteer.