52 live snakes seized from Khetlaapa Temple Rajkot; Mahant held November 19, 2025

Rajkot: The Forest Department today seized 52 snakes from the Khetlaapa Temple near Greenland Chowk in Rajkot and arrested the temple’s Mahant, Manubhai Dudhrejia, under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Officials said the Mahant used the snakes to attract and impress devotees and promoted the temple on social media by posting videos of the snakes, calling it a temple of the serpent god.

Talking to the media, DCF Yuvrajsinh Jhala of the Rajkot District Forest Department said, “We received information that more than 50 common sand boa snakes, also known as Russell sand boa snakes, were kept at Khetlaapa Temple. On reaching the spot, we found 52 snakes. These snakes are protected under Schedule 2 of the Wil

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