'Punish Thane man for illegally possessing snakes'

Thane, April 11 (IANS) An animal protection group Wednesday demanded action against a snake rescuer and trainer in Maharashtra's Thane district for what it called illegal possession of reptiles, one of whom bit a woman causing her death last week.

Riddhi Thakur, 21, an agriculture college student, was bitten by a cobra at Kunte's home March 31. She died after a five-day battle for life, said the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO).

The group said that Kunte ran an unregistered organisation called Maharashtra Animal Rescue Association in Thane.

The FIAPO demanded that the forest department and wildlife protection officials in Thane and the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) should initiate action against those who possess snakes and keep them in unnatural and stressful environment.

Arpan Sharma, CEO, FIAPO, said: "Snakes are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act and any person who is in possession of any wild animal must be authorised by the forest department to possess that animal and recognised by the CZA in order to exhibit that animal or to house it."