This commando doesn’t just catch crooks, but snakes too

As a part of his hobby, 30-year-old Yogesh Satam has been rescuing venomous, non-venomous or semivenonous snakes who somehow stray into houses or offices in near-by forest areas

A trained commando in Mumbai police 'Force One', Yogesh Satam — deployed as a constable at Aarey police station, has rescued and released nearly 5,000 different species of snakes till date.

As a part of his hobby, 30year-old Satam has been rescuing venomous, non-venomous or semi-venonous snakes who somehow stray into houses or offices in Mumbai because of natural habitat loss. He has been rescuing and releasing endangered snake species into the forest areas of the city when he was 14.

“We had to go through a forest area to reach our school Indian Education Society in Powai. One day I saw few boys were viciously stoning a snake in the jungle. That snake (Green Vine) was very beautiful. Though I was also scared but I somehow caught the snake and brought to my house and kept the snake in my fish tank at my place. This is how I began my journey to rescue the snake,” reminisced Satam, who thanked his housewife mother and father, who is also a policeman attached to protection branch of Mumbai police, for pursuing his hobby.

Few years later, his friend gifted him a book titled ‘Snakes of India — The Field Guide’ authored by Romulus Whitaker and Ashok Captain. Now Satam would read the book everyday to understand the behaviour and colour pattern of the snakes he rescued. “That book was really helpful to me,” said Satam, who is a big fan of internationally acclaimed crocodile rescuer late Steve Irwin.

“I have rescued almost all species of snakes including vipers, cobra, python, etc who somehow strayed into the houses and offices in the city. In summer season, I receive nearly four panic calls in a day. Irrespective of time, I immediately rush to the spot and rescue the snake and further release it in forest area,” said Satam, who added that the number of panic calls goes higher during rainy season.

Satam generally gets distressed calls from panicstricken people living in Andheri, Powai, Mulund, Jogeshwari, Goregaon, Dindoshi, etc to catch the snake.

He has stored his breathtaking videos and photos with snakes in his cellphone. He is seen catching snakes with his bare hands. Satam said he was in coma at Vile Parle’s RN Cooper hospital for seven days in 2007 following ‘Cobra bite’ on his left thumb.

Besides rescuing snakes, Satam has been delivering lectures in schools, colleges and community to spread awareness regarding snake bite among people in Sidhudurg, Nashik, Palghar and other parts of Maharashtra.

“I also teach under trainees commandos how to rescue snakes and release them in forest area. Also, I teach them what one should do after snake bite,” said Satam.

Satam lives in Marol police camp in Andheri with his parents and twince brother Yogendra, who is into Quick Response Team (QRT) of Mumbai police.