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BHOPAL, INDIA, August 10, 2005: Snake charmers in Madhya Pradesh will not be able to practise their age-old profession with a ban on carrying or displaying the reptiles due to come into effect on the eve of the Hindu festival of Nag Panchami. Snakes are worshipped by devotees during the festival that falls on Wednesday. It’s the chance for thousands of snake charmers to make a quick buck by visiting homes and displaying their snakes, which are offered milk. But a police official said: “Displaying snakes has been banned in Madhya Pradesh. We will continue arresting them even after the festival.” The action to ban snake charmers was taken on the plea of an animals rights activist. Sudhir Khetawat, an animals rights activist based in Indore, wrote to state police chief Swaraj Puri a few days ago pleading that snake charmers be arrested. Giving a graphic description of the cruelty, he said thousands of snakes are caught before the festival. Their fangs are brutally removed, wounding the snake in the process. Gangrene develops in the snake’s mouth, finally leading to a painful death. Khetawat also wrote that the snakes were not properly fed and were kept in very small baskets. Acting on the plea, the police chief directed all the 48 districts to get snake charmers arrested for carrying or displaying snakes. “We will ask the snake charmers to release the snakes from where they were caught. But if they are reluctant we will arrest them and charge them with being cruel to the animals,” said a senior police official. He said that the police action would not be limited to the festival of Nag Panchami. “No doubt, if other states also introduce such a law, India will lose it age-old image of being a land of snake charmers,” added the official. Snake charmers are irked over the decision of the police. “Snakes are our breadwinners and we have been catching snakes for generations. We do not have any other talent to earn money. Either the police should withdraw its decision or the government should provide us another source of income,” said Ramesh Nath, a snake charmer.

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