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Snake venom addiction, a lesser-known yet potent form of substance dependency, is making headlines in India after popular YouTuber Elvish Yadav was arrested for allegedly organising rave parties and providing the drug.
He was remanded to 14-day judicial custody on March 17.
The winner of reality show Bigg Boss OTT faces a case under the Wildlife Act in Noida, a city in Uttar Pradesh near New Delhi, after he admitted to the charges, police said.
A snake smuggling racket was busted in November last year after police raided a banquet hall in Noida. Five people, including four snake charmers, were arrested for allegedly supplying snake venom. Nine snakes including cobras were also seized.
The raid followed a complaint by a non-governmental organization (NGO) after a member laid a trap and contacted Yadav for snake venom. The NGO member was given a phone number which led him to the five accused, said police.
A forensic investigation revealed the use of venom, from a cobra or krait species, in drugs supplied at the party. The arrested people named Yadav as their “supplier”.
The 26-year-old, who had earlier denied involvement, admitted that he had met the accused at different rave parties and was in contact with them, NDTV reported.
Noida Police on March 20 also arrested two associates of Yadav after their names surfaced during investigations.
“Those arrested have been identified as Ishwar, 50, and Vinay Yadav, 25,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Shakti Mohan Avasthy told PTI. “Ishwar runs a banquet hall in Gurugram while Vinay is a social media influencer and close friend of Elvish Yadav.
“Both have been booked under the same charges as Elvish Yadav, which include the consumption of drugs, organising such parties and trafficking of wildlife species.”
Yadav is also accused of using snakes in his video shoots for YouTube. He had earlier told police that snakes seen in his video were arranged by Bollywood singer Fazilpuria, sources told NDTV.
Police are concerned that young ravers in India are turning to cobra venom to get high at parties.
NDTV reported that youths are increasingly using snake venom as a substitute for traditional drugs, after discovering that highs can last for several days.
Suicides due to drug and alcohol addiction in India have tripled since 2011. Nausea, vomiting and dizziness often plague addicts, as their bodies struggle to cope with the toxic effects of snake venom.
Repeated injections of venom can lead to severe tissue necrosis and scarring, resulting in long-term health complications. Addicts may also suffer from neurological symptoms such as seizures, paralysis and cognitive impairment.
Wildlife activists also point out that the process of getting hold of snake venom is incredibly challenging. Snake charmers are called in to coax it out of cobras.
The snakes, which are often injected with chemicals to make them produce more venom, are made to either it spit out or bite a person on the foot.
The process of venom extraction can be incredibly harmful for the snakes themselves.
Ashar, a legal adviser with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals in India, told The Times: “They are often starved and have their teeth yanked out to make it safer for the handler.”
Indo-Asian News Service
