The Udayamperoor police on Saturday seized a dead monitor lizard and nearly 20 kg of meat, purportedly of sambar deer, from a toddy shop near here.
The meat was recovered by a police team during a raid at Padippura Toddy Shop at Patham Mile. The shop manager was taken into custody for detailed interrogation.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the meat had been purchased from a Munnar-based poaching racket, which supplies meat of several endangered species to toddy shops. A search is on to trace a Chambakkara native, who had supplied the meat to the toddy shop here.
The case was handed over to the Erumeli Forest Range Office, which in turn booked a case against the toddy shop owner under the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
To be examined
“The meat will be sent for scientific examination to ascertain whether it is that of sambar deer,” said K.K. Sabu, Forest Range Officer, Erumeli. The other employees of the toddy shop will also be taken into custody soon to collect further information on the racket, he added. According to officials, the dead monitor lizard weighed around 7 kg.
Sources said scores of wild animals, including monitor lizard and blackbuck and other fresh water species, were being poached and butchered to be served as delicacy to customers at toddy shops. The meat of protected species often fetches attractive prices as they are believed to have medicinal qualities.
