Forest Department officials rescued 27 monitor lizards and arrested a person belonging to the Narikurava community at Koothadivayal near Aranthangi on Friday.
The reptile is listed under Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Acting on information, the officials of the Madurai, Virudhunagar, and Tiruchi circles went to the house of Durairaj, 41. Posing as traders, they asked him for supply of monitor lizards. He demanded Rs. 20,000. On payment of Rs.1,000 in advance, he took them to a farm and showed them, 27 live lizards hunted with country-made explosives.
The officials took him to an ATM, promising him to pay off the rest, but handed him over to the Pudukottai Ranger Kumar.
A case was registered under the Wildlife Protection Act. He was produced before the Judicial Magistrate who remanded him in judicial custody for 15 days.
“This is the first time that monitor lizards have been seized on such a large scale in this part of the State,” said A. Palaniraj, Assistant Conservator of Forest, Virudhunagar. There was a growing demand for the animal in star hotels in a few metros, he said.
The lizards would be released in a reserve forest, officials said.
