Canadian man carrying crocodile skull arrested at Delhi airport

Indian authorities say they have arrested a Canadian at Delhi airport for carrying a crocodile skull in his bag.

The 32-year-old was at the airport on Monday to board his flight to Canada when he was first stopped at security.

“On examination, a skull with sharp teeth, similar to the jaw of a baby crocodile, weighing about 777g (1.71lb), was found wrapped in a green cloth,” Delhi Bridges said on Thursday.

The man was arrested and the skull handed over to the forest and wildlife department, he said.

Officials say possessing a crocodile skull violates India’s Wildlife Protection Act and the Customs Act.

An examination of the skull by the Department of Forests and Wildlife found it to be a species protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act.

They said: “Its appearance, teeth, well-developed mouth, and nostrils confirmed that the object was the skull of a baby crocodile.”

A forest official said Times of India newspaper it is said that the man bought the skull from Thailand.

“The man did not have a permit to transport wild animals,” said Forest Officer Rajesh Tandon.

The husband too he told the police that he did not hunt or kill the crocodilethe Hindustan Times reported.

Further tests are being carried out to determine the exact species of the animal.

Meanwhile, Delhi Customs says a case has been registered against the man and investigation is underway.

Last year, a 32-year-old Canadian woman was stopped at the Delhi airport after she was found to have the horns of an unknown animal in her bag. The woman told the authorities that she had taken them during her trip to northern Ladakh and decided to take them back as a souvenir.