Thane: If you think that keeping illegal wildlife as a talisman will bring good luck, think again.
Nothing lucky about three years in prison or 10,000 fines Rs which keeps the illegal items interesting.
Government officials now plan to take action against those who buy, sell, and save the product.
This is a general practice, although illegal, among several to maintain private monitor spare parts of men, or black corals, because their superstition brings good luck, said animal activists.
These items are also used in black magic rituals or for Vastu.
Most buyers don’t realize that it’s illegal to buy these items.
In September 2021, the private section (called ‘Hatha Jodi’ in local languages) of 50 monitor lizards and 250 units of black coral (aka antipatharia) was confiscated from the Vastu consultant in Kalyan.
Activists say that these items are sold freely by Vastu’s fortune tellers and consultants, as well as shops that sell Pooja Paraphernalia.
Kunju Subramanian Sunish, Warden Wildlife Honorary and volunteers with a wildlife crime control bureau, told TII, “We have learned that Vastu experts sell such things to businessmen, politicians and Bollywood’s personalities.
We want to appeal to people like It is to refrain from buying or keeping things like that can land you in trouble with law.
“Going level for these illegal items is anywhere between Rs 500 and Rs 5,000.
A Vastu consultant from Dombivli said, “After a raid by forest officials, some have stopped trading in Hatha Jodi and Black Coral, but many large consultants and fortune tellers from Mumbai still sell this secretly.” Chandramani Yadav from Paws-Mumbai said, “Because of superstitious beliefs, people use such items, which presents the killing of wildlife.” A senior forest official said if people had information about reporting it to local range forest officials.