Malda: In a shocking case of wildlife cruelty driven by the hunger for social media fame, a 21-year-old youth from Malda has been arrested for killing a snake and uploading the video online.
The accused, identified as Abbas Momin of Kazigram Mominpara in English Bazar, was produced before the Malda District Court on Friday. The court remanded him to 14 days of judicial custody under the Wildlife Protection Act.
According to forest department sources, about a month ago a Chandrabora (Russell’s viper) was spotted in Abbas’s village. Instead of informing authorities, Abbas allegedly beat the snake to death with a stick and recorded the act. His first video did not receive much attention. Recently, he uploaded a second version of the same incident, which quickly went viral—garnering over 4.5 million views within weeks. However, the viral clip also reached the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), which immediately ordered an inquiry. Following the directive, Malda forest officials traced Abbas and detained him on Thursday morning. During interrogation, he reportedly admitted to killing the snake solely for social media views. “We came across a video showing a snake being beaten to death. During questioning, Abbas confessed to the act.
A case has been registered under the Wildlife Protection Act and he has been arrested,” said Sarawati Biswas, Range Officer, Malda Range. Officials further revealed that Abbas routinely posted videos of various stunts and activities to gain online followers. “He said more views meant more popularity and that is why he uploaded the snake-killing video again,” a forest official said.
In a separate incident on Thursday afternoon, three youths were arrested in the Ratua Police Station area for illegally displaying a snake during a street performance. The accused—Abu Kalam (33), Zakir Hossain (24) and Nesh Mohammad (23)—were found with a sand boa. A case has been filed, and the trio will be produced before the Malda District Court on Saturday.
“We had information that a snake was being used for illegal entertainment. Based on that, we conducted a raid and arrested three individuals with the reptile,” the range officer added. These back-to-back arrests underscore the Forest department’s strict stance on wildlife protection.