Youth held with ball python in Surat

The Special Operation Group of the Surat Rural Police Tuesday night arrested a youth and claimed to have seized African ball python from his possession.

Acting on a tip off, the police intercepted a youth traveling through the Chalthan area in Surat district. On checking his bag, the officials found an African Ball python. The suspected youth failed to submit necessary documents when demanded and he was arrested. He was booked under different sections of IPC Act sections 406, 420 and Prevention to Animal Cruelty Act Section 11(a) and 11(e).

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The accused was later identified as Murgesh alias Martin Saraiya (22), a resident of the Chalthan area in Surat.

On Wednesday, Murgesh Saraiya was produced before Kathor Court, that remanded him in police custody till Friday afternoon.

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SOG Police Inspector M M Gilator told The Indian Express, “The accused had purchased the python from a resident of Kerala, few days ago at Rs. 1.25 lakh. He had put the photos of the python on social media for selling it.”