Dr B Thomas (Special correspondent)
Officials of the forest mobile squad on Monday arrested three persons and rescued seven monitor lizards which the accused were trying to sell it to their customers.
Based on a tip off a team led by Deputy Conservator of Forest GA Gangadhar,raided Shafia hotel in Cheluru in Bagepalli town and arrested S Ismail Zabiulla and his two associates Rizwan Basha and Bawajan P and rescued the reptiles.
The monitor lizards were caged and kept in the hotel owned by Ismail,the official, said.
Initial probe revealed that the accused had purchased the reptiles from tribal in Srinivasapura and selling it to their customers for a higher prices.
The monitor lizards are hunted for their medicinal values and for the meat.
The accused have been booked under various sections of the wildlife act and remanded to judicial custody.The reptiles will be sent to Rescue centre in Bannerghatta after the due procedure.
