In a startling incident near Kharar bus stand, Ludhiana resident Shikander, 34, was arrested with seven snakes, including four cobras and three rat snakes. The arrest was made by a joint team of animal welfare activists from People For Animals (PFA), Delhi, along with Ludhiana PFA members and the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Mohali.
The accused, Shikander, was reportedly supplied the snakes by Hardik Anand of Burari, Delhi. Gaurav Gupta, one of the animal welfare activists, revealed that the snakes were linked to a music video featuring Bollywood singer Fazilpuria and YouTuber Elvish Yadav. The accused had allegedly provided snakes for a similar video shoot last year.
Gaurav Gupta explained, “After lodging a complaint with Gurgaon police, Hardik handed over 10 banned snakes to his accomplice Shikander in Ludhiana, suspecting a police raid. We posed as customers, called Shikander using Hardik’s reference, and apprehended him with a bag containing seven snakes, including four Cobras.”
Saurav Gupta mentioned that Shikander disclosed receiving the reptiles from Hardik around 10 days ago. The venom from all four cobras was reportedly removed. So far, 18 out of the 20 snakes supplied to the singer and the YouTuber have been recovered.
The Noida police had earlier arrested five individuals, including Elvish Yadav, for allegedly providing snake-venom opioids at a party in Noida. The snakes were allegedly arranged for the party by Fazilpuria. The recent arrest in Kharar is part of the ongoing investigation into the procurement and use of snakes in such events.
Shikander and Hardik Anand have been booked under sections 9, 39, 50, 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act and section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, by the Kharar City police.
