Four persons were arrested for allegedly raping a Bengal monitor lizard in Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR) in Maharashtra, a forest official said on April 13.

The incident, which occurred at Gothane village in Ratnagiri district, came to light days after the four accused were booked for illegally entering Chandoli National Park, which is part of the reserve, with one of them carrying a gun for hunting, he said. The accused were being probed after they were booked on March 31 for illegally entering the forest when the crime came to light, the official said.