Panic gripped Gaya Railway Station in Bihar after Railway Protection Force jawans discovered a dead endangered Red Sand Boa snake in the bag of two fleeing suspects. The arrests on Platform 1B expose the perilous world of wildlife smuggling disguised as routine travel.
It was a tense Tuesday dusk when RPF’s vigilant patrol spotted the duo acting suspiciously. Their attempt to escape only heightened suspicions, leading to a swift takedown. The bag search unveiled the prized, lifeless snake, triggering an immediate lockdown of the area and calls to wildlife experts.
Inspector Banarasi Yadav briefed the media the next day: ‘The accused, Upendra Kumar of Makhdumpur, Jehanabad, and Mohammad Sadulla of Amaraha, Chakand in Gaya, were carrying the rare non-venomous Red Sand Boa. Forest teams seized it post-alert.’
Renowned for its use in black magic and superstitions, this ‘two-mouthed’ serpent commands astronomical prices abroad – often crores per piece. Poachers target it relentlessly, pushing the species toward oblivion. The smugglers’ plan to offload it elsewhere was foiled just in time.
With charges slapped under the Wildlife Protection Act, interrogations continue to unravel accomplices. This incident spotlights railway stations as smuggling hotspots, where high footfall provides cover for traffickers. Railway and forest officials are ramping up joint operations, but experts call for advanced tech like scanners to detect such hidden threats.
As the nation grapples with biodiversity loss, stories like Gaya’s reinforce the urgent need for public awareness and stricter enforcement to preserve India’s unique fauna.