Fire officials, TMC, tried to saw through hollow tree where python was hiding, cut into python instead



The python that was killed by mistake at Vartak Nagar in Thane West

An operation to rescue a python from a tree in Thane went tragically awry when the authorities ended up killing the snake instead. Activists have blamed the authorities for negligence, saying the rescuers they had roped in were inexperienced. The python was found coiled on a branch of a tree at Appa Saheb Pawar Udyan, at Vartak Nagar in Thane West. Aditiya Patil, President of the Wild Life Welfare Association of Thane said he received a call from locals around 3.20 pm about a large python stuck on a tree.

Patil sent two volunteers, Suraj Sonawane and Vicky Ghage, to rescue the python. “When they reach­ed the spot, they found that the python was at high up in the tree. After waiting for two hours, the python slithered into the hollow of the tree,” Patil said.

Around 7.30 pm, residents called the Wagle Estate fire bridge and Thane Municipal Corporation who reached the spot for rescue operations. JS Patil, Fire officer, Wagle Estate, said, “Locals told us to cut down the tree. We contacted the tree authority of the TMC, who started the cutting down operations. They were following the instructions of the rescuers, who had caught the python’s tail to ensure it did not disappear from sight.”

However, when the tree was cut open, the python was found dead inside as its head had been hit by the cutter. Mayur Kamath, Honorary wild life warden and member state wildlife broad said, “During rescue operations, the safety of the animal should be top priority, irrespective of the time taken.”