Mysuru: A man hailing from Somwarpet in Kodagu district has been arrested for trying to sell the venom of deadly King Cobra yesterday. The arrest was made by the CID wing of Mobile Forest Squad and one litre of venom worth Rs. 50 lakh has been seized.

The accused has been identified as 40-year-old Raju, son of Narayana of Yediyuru Village in Somwarpet. The Forest Squad had got specific information that Raju was trying to sell the venom near the Giriyas Showroom opposite the Sub-urban Bus Stand. The sleuths rounded him off along with the  venom and brought him to their office at Jyothinagar.

On interrogation, Raju told the Forest officials that he was working as a loader at a timber yard in Somwarpet and two years ago, a wooden log fell on his legs. He said that following the accident, he did not go to work and was in need of money. He told them that one of his friends mentioned about the availability of King Cobra venom that could be sold to make huge profit.

Raju told the interrogators that his friend told him to sell the venom for a particular amount so that he can earn a handsome commission. He (Raju) then boarded a bus from Somwarpet and was trying to sell the venom.

Forest sleuths have now arrested Raju and have booked a case. Mobile Forest Squad Sub-Inspector N.P. Harish and staff M.B. Ramesh, Venkatachalaiah, Narasimhamurthy, T.R. Raghu, Cheluvaraju, L. Manjunath and driver Pradeep participated in the operation.  

It may be mentioned here that there is a huge demand for snake venom in the national and international markets and it is used to make anti-venom.