Elvish Yadav and five other people were charged with supplying snake venom for amusement at a Delhi-NCR party.
Nine snakes, including cobras, were taken from the people who were arrested, according to the police. Unaware that they were part of a sting operation organised by People for Animals (PFA), an animal rights organisation, they had convened in a banquet hall in Sector 51 of Noida for a party.
In addition, the accused had a plastic vial filled with 20 millilitres of snake venom seized by the police. Testing on this material is under underway to see if it has psychotropic qualities capable of producing a drug-like impact on the human body.
In India, the practise of using snake venom as a recreational drug is rare, extremely risky, and can even be fatal.
What is stated in the FIR?
Based on a complaint by Gaurav Gupta of People for Animals (PFA), a group connected to BJP lawmaker Maneka Gandhi, a FIR has been opened by the police. The Wildlife (Protection) Act’s provisions were invoked in the filing of the FIR, which also alleged criminal conspiracy.
DCP Noida (in-charge) Ram Badan Singh claims that Gaurav Gupta got in touch with Elvish Yadav to plan a rave party and to get snakes. As a result, the accused—including snake charmers—were dragged into the case.
The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act of 1985 governs the possession of drugs, including substances like snake venom or other restricted substances. But in this specific instance, the NDPS Act has not been used because, as an official has confirmed, no drugs were found at the site.
A rave party: what is it?
An exuberant, all-night electronic dance music gathering with spectacular lighting, immersive music, and a strong sense of community is called a rave party. There are many different venues where these events are held, but farmhouses are a popular option.
But in India, problems with drug use, noise pollution, accidents, and public order infractions raise questions about these parties’ legality. The government has responded by addressing the issue and even outlawing these kinds of events.
To what extent can snake venom be considered a “recreational drug”?
Due to their psychedelic properties, drugs including opium, tobacco, and cannabis have long been used recreationally. It might surprise you to learn, though, that compounds derived from reptiles, including snakes, scorpions, and reptile derivatives, can also be used recreationally and occasionally as stand-ins for other substances. Let’s examine the possible dangers that could arise from these actions.
In a case study published in the Indian Journal of Pharmacology and Physiology, the “snake venom addiction” of an adolescent and his involvement in planning rave parties were investigated. In this case, he did as his pals instructed and injected chemicals into the snake to try to amp up the effects of the venom. He claimed that after smoking cannabis and purposefully getting bitten by the snake on his tongue, he felt sleepy for a few hours before experiencing higher happiness, an improved sense of wellbeing, and a decreased need for sleep that lasted for “a week.”
Based on the instance, the journal further explains:
According to the publication, although adults do it rarely, those who attempt this sort of abuse are typically teens. They frequently exhibit severe drug dependence and strive to live in a constant “state of euphoria” (extreme happiness).
Getting bitten by a snake appears to involve a certain process. The person in charge of the snakes holds the snake close to its head, slightly beyond the lip’s edge. The snake will bite when you strike its head sharply with a blunt weapon. In order to minimise envenomation, care is made to make sure the snake only bites the person’s little toe or index finger a small amount. Next, the snakebite is applied to the victim’s mouth, tongue, or earlobes, based on their inclination.
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Snakebites, which include snake species including the common krait (Bungarus caeruleus), cobra (Naja naja), green snake (Opheodrys vernalis), rat snake, and green vine, are usually acquired from nomadic tribespeople and slum snake charmers. Each person experiences psychosis differently after being bitten by a snake. An elevated sense of well-being, lethargy, a heightened sense of grandiosity, blurred vision, dizziness, sleepiness, and powerful and prolonged euphoria are typical symptoms. This extremely high level of arousal is also frequently felt.
Active metabolites including serotonin, bradykinin, peptides, prostaglandins, and other slow-reacting compounds are released by snake venom into the human bloodstream. These molecules have a range of psychotropic effects, including sedative and hypnotic qualities.
Elvish Yadav, who is he?
Elvish Yadav is a vocalist from Gurugram and an Indian YouTuber. He became well-known after emerging victorious from Salman Khan’s “Big Boss OTT 2” reality series this year.
Elvish launched the “The Social Factory” channel on YouTube in 2016, with a focus on flash fiction and conceptual short films as his main output. Later on, he changed the name to Elvish Yadav. He launched a second YouTube channel in 2019 called “Elvish Yadav vlogs,” where he posted daily vlogs and shared movie critiques with his loved ones. Later in 2023, he launched ‘Elvish Yadav Gaming’, another gaming YouTube channel.