Vijayawada: NTR district forest officials registered a preliminary offence report (POR) against an event organiser involved in the illegal use of an Indian python during a recent procession in Hanumanpet here. One Mohammad Idrees, former member of the Andhra Pradesh Animal Welfare Board, collaborated with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India to highlight the incident.
The POR was filed under Section 9 read with Section 2(16)(b), Sections 39(1)(3), and 51 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act (WPA), 1972. The alleged offence is non-bailable and carries a punishment of up to seven years in prison, along with a minimum fine of 25,000.
An eyewitness reported seeing the python confined in a bag and then forcibly draped around a participant’s neck during the event. It was also noted that the snake’s mouth appeared to be stitched shut. The event organiser, Tadi Shiva has since been detained, and forest officials are conducting a search for the python and the individual who handled it.
Commenting on the incident, PETA India’s cruelty response coordinator, Sinchana Subramanyan, said, “The best way to revere snakes is to leave them alone in their jungle homes. Using snakes in roadside shows is cruel, illegal, and disrespectful. PETA India thanks the AP forest department, particularly chief wildlife warden Ajaya Kumar Naik for his swift action.”
Sinchana further stated that the incident underscores the broader issue of snakes being removed from their natural habitats for public entertainment and as exotic pets, a practice that blatantly violates the WPA, 1972.
“In many instances, these animals endure severe physical harm: their teeth are forcibly extracted, venom glands emptied, and mouths stitched shut, leaving only a tiny opening for liquids. Such conditions lead to prolonged suffering and often result in the snake’s slow, agonizing death,” she added.
