Mysore/Mysuru: The Forest Mobile Squad staff have arrested four persons on charges of trying to sell a Sand Boa snake by making the buyers believe that it was a two-headed snake and have rescued the snake besides seizing a Maruti van and three two-wheelers from them.

The arrested are 32-year-old H. Kumar of Dadadapura village, Kirugaval hobli in Malavalli taluk, 38-year-old B. Chandra of Nanjangud, 44-year-old Ravish of South Bengaluru and 32-year-old Shivaprakash of Kothalawadi in Chamarajanagar district.

The Forest personnel have seized a Maruti van (KA-02-MH-1146), Hero Honda Hunk (KA-03-HA-9389), Honda Activa (KA-09-Z-5708) and a TVS Star City bike (KA-09-HV-5883) from them besides rescuing the snake which was kept in a bag.

Acting on a tip off that a few persons were coming to sell a Sand Boa snake, the Forest Mobile Squad personnel, who waited for the miscreants, conducted an operation upon their arrival at Srirampura Ring-Road Junction on Mysuru-H.D. Kote Road and rescued the snake besides arresting the accused.

Forest Mobile Squad Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) A.T. Poovaiah supervised Range Forest Officer (RFO) S. Vivek, DRFO Nagaraj and staff Sharanappa, Virupaksha, Mahantesh, Ravikumar, Kotresh Poojar, Ravinandan and Puttaswamy in the nabbing, seizing and rescue operation.