Int’l Link Suspected In Snake Venom Seizure In Odisha Capital

Bhubaneswar: District Forest Officer (DFO) Ashok Mishra will soon be writing to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) for a Crime Branch probe into a racket selling snake venom unearthed in the Odisha capital.

Notably, one litre of snake venom and five vials of five millilitres each worth over Rs 1.3 crore were seized and six people, including a woman, arrested in the city on Saturday.

Also Read: Six Held For Trying To Sell Snake Venom Worth Rs 1.3 Crore In Bhubaneswar

“The kingpin of this racket Satyanarayan Das might have links with international snake venom handlers. I have spoken to the Balangir DFO and this person is absconding. Once we apprehend this person, more facts will be unearthed,” said Bhubaneswar City Division DFO, Ashok Mishra.

“We will also move the court seeking a non-bailable warrant against him,” he added.

According to wildlife officials, it takes about 200 cobras to collect one litre of venom. Therefore, the venom might have been collected from other states. A similar case was reported in 2014 in which the accused had collected snake venom from Jamshedpur.

Therefore, Crime Branch can go out of the state for investigation on a need basis.

A team from the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau is soon likely to come here to probe the matter, sources added.