Man held for killing Indian monitor lizard

A 32-year-old man from Navi Mumbai was arrested on Thursday for allegedly killing an Indian monitor lizard, an endangered species, forest officials said.

The accused, Subhash Rathod, was identified and nabbed after a video went viral, in which he and some other persons could be seen killing the lizard, a statement issued by Thane divisional forest office said.

"Based on the video, a probe was launched and Rathod was held from his residence in CBD Belapur in Navi Mumbai. During his interrogation, the accused told the officials that he and his two friends killed the monitor lizard, which they had found near his house," it added.

Later, they cut the lizard using a knife with the intention of cooking it for consumption, the statement said.

A case was registered against Rathod under the Wildlife (Protection) Act. He was produced before a local court on Thursday, which remanded him in the custody of forest department till November 2.