Jodhpur, (Rajasthan) : In a major raid on stationery and hardware stores, the Rajasthan police yesterday seized 1254 illegal Mongoose hair brushes and detained five shopkeepers.

Acting on a tip off provided by Dr Sunit Dookia, the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) notified the Jodhpur police.  Thereafter following orders from the I nspector General of Police, a team headed by Chain Singh, Inspector Sardarpura police station, raided seven stationery and hardware stores near Jalori Gate. The five shopkeepers were arrested and later released after  they gave written statements that they will cooperate with the prosecution. The brush samples will now be sent to the Wildlife Institute of India for confirmation following which legal proceedings  would begin. The raid was assisted by Dinesh Pandey, Assistant Programme Officer and Dr Mahendra Singh Kachhawa, Advocate, WTI.

Concerned with the declining population of the mongoose species, WTI initiated a campaign to curb the trade on mongoose hair with an award winning film ‘A Brush with Death .’ The brushes are used largely by school children all over India, who are unaware of the implications of using them.

“Mongoose species help in controlling the population of rats and snakes, and therefore is a friend of man. Considering the threats faced by them, the Government of India upgraded the protection status of the mongoose species from Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972) to Part II of Schedule II ,”Ashok Kumar, Vice-Chairman, WTI, said.