Python used in Hyderabad Ganesh procession dance rescued, found with oral infection
Synopsis
A Visakhapatnam dance troupe used a live Indian Rock Python — coiled around a woman's neck — as a performance prop across multiple Ganesh Chaturthi venues in Hyderabad. The GHSPCA tracked the group for five days before police nabbed the snake handler at Jawhar Nagar. The python, a Schedule I protected species, was found with an oral infection. A criminal case has been registered.
Key Takeaways
The GHSPCA and Madhura Nagar Police rescued an Indian Rock Python and a hen from a dance group on Sunday night during a Ganesh immersion procession in Jawhar Nagar, Hyderabad .
The group from Visakhapatnam had been performing at multiple Hyderabad venues during Ganesh Chaturthi , with a woman dancing with the python around her neck.
The GHSPCA tracked the group for nearly five days ; the snake handler had earlier fled from Kondapur on 19 September .
The python was found with an oral infection and is now under veterinary care.
The Indian Rock Python is a Schedule I protected species under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 ; a criminal case has been registered.
Last year, the GHSPCA rescued eight cobras from snake charmers at a Hyderabad temple, reflecting a recurring pattern of wildlife misuse during festivals.
An Indian Rock Python used as a prop during a dance performance at a Ganesh Chaturthi immersion procession in Hyderabad was rescued on Sunday night by the Greater Hyderabad Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GHSPCA) and police, after a near five-day tracking operation. The python, a protected species under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, was found to have an oral infection and is currently under veterinary care.
How the Rescue Unfolded
A dance group from Visakhapatnam had been performing at multiple locations across Hyderabad as part of the ongoing Ganesh Chaturthi festivities, with a woman dancing with the python coiled around her neck. GHSPCA members, acting on a tip-off that a live snake was allegedly being used in public shows, began tracking the group nearly five days before the rescue.
The group had performed at Kondapur on 19 September, but the snake handler fled before the GHSPCA team could act. The following day, the team — operating in coordination with officers from Madhura Nagar Police Station — intercepted the handler at Jawhar Nagar during the Ganesh immersion procession. A python and a hen, both used in the performance, were recovered from his possession.
Condition of the Rescued Animals
According to the GHSPCA, the Indian Rock Python was found suffering from an oral infection at the time of rescue. The animal has since been placed under veterinary supervision. The hen recovered alongside the python was also part of the dance act performed before festival crowds.
Legal Action Taken
On a complaint filed by animal rights activists, police registered a formal case and launched further investigation. The Indian Rock Python is a Schedule I species under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, making its capture, possession, and use in public performances a criminal offence. The group, which included women performers, had allegedly been using the reptile across several shows during the festival period.
A Pattern of Wildlife Misuse During Festivals
This is not the first such incident the GHSPCA has dealt with during Hyderabad's festival season. Last year, the organisation rescued eight cobras from snake charmers who were displaying the reptiles in crates at Sri Yellamma Thali Devalayam, Suramgutta, under the limits of Adibatla Police Station. The GHSPCA has been actively appealing to the public to report sightings of snake charmers, and its volunteers conduct targeted operations during Naga Panchami each year. The back-to-back rescues signal a persistent pattern of protected wildlife being exploited for public entertainment during religious gatherings in the city.
Point of View
And enforcement tends to arrive late. The GHSPCA needed five days and police coordination to intercept a group performing openly at multiple public venues — a timeline that points to thin real-time surveillance of protected-species misuse. The Indian Rock Python is a Schedule I animal, carrying the same legal protection as a tiger, yet it was displayed nightly before festival crowds with apparent impunity until activists intervened. Repeat incidents — cobras at a temple last year, a python at Ganesh immersion this year — suggest that awareness campaigns alone are insufficient and that dedicated festival-season wildlife task forces may be overdue.
NationPress
22 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the Indian Rock Python's use in the Hyderabad performance illegal?
The Indian Rock Python is a Schedule I protected species under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, making its capture, possession, and use in public shows a criminal offence. Police registered a case after a complaint by animal activists, and investigation is ongoing.
What was the condition of the rescued python?
According to the GHSPCA, the python was found with an oral infection at the time of rescue on Sunday night. It has since been placed under veterinary care.
How did the GHSPCA track and catch the snake handler?
The GHSPCA tracked the Visakhapatnam-based dance group for nearly five days after receiving information that a live snake was being used in public shows. The handler fled when the team arrived at Kondapur on 19 September, but was caught the following day in coordination with Madhura Nagar Police at Jawhar Nagar.
Has the GHSPCA dealt with similar wildlife rescues at Hyderabad festivals before?
Yes. Last year, the GHSPCA rescued eight cobras from snake charmers displaying them in crates at Sri Yellamma Thali Devalayam, Suramgutta, Hyderabad. The organisation also conducts targeted rescue operations during Naga Panchami each year.
Who was involved in the dance performance, and where had they performed?
The group, including women performers, was from Visakhapatnam and had performed at multiple locations in Hyderabad during the Ganesh Chaturthi festivities, including Kondapur on 19 September and Jawhar Nagar on Sunday night, where they were finally intercepted.
