The Thane forest department on Wednesday booked a snake rescuer from the Goregaon Film City area for indulging in free handling (handling a potentially dangerous creature without protection) of the reptile. A snake rescuer, Ayan Khan aka KD, who claims to be a director, camera operator and animal lover was seen free handling an Indian spectacled cobra in a viral video.

Rakesh Bhoir, Range Forest Officer (RFO), Thane Forest Department (Territorial), said, “We had received a complaint against a snake rescuer Ayan Khan aka KD indulging in free-handling of an Indian Spectacled Cobra in Goregaon East. We had called Khan for questioning and he confessed to the crime. An offence has been registered against him under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.”