Delhi: Delhi Police on Wednesday raided an illegal bird market in Delhi in collaboration with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). The police attacked the huge operation against the illegal wildlife business widely passed on the Kabuthar market near the Zama Masjid. Thousands of birds were rescued from vendors.
Most of the protected birds are native parrots, which are trapped in cages after being illegally hunted. In addition, the police rescued many other native birds, such as the munia, the hillbilly and the pigeons. Delhi Police and Forest Department officials rescued 500 chicks and other birds and treated and cared for them at Wildlife SOS.
The birds were crowded into cages and kept in pantries with less natural ventilation. Police said several parrots died as a result of being placed on top of each other in small cardboard boxes.
The case was registered by the Delhi police under the PETA India Act under multiple provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA) 1960, and the Indian Penal Code 1860. In addition, the FIR was also registered under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (WPA).
The birds were taken into custody by the Forest Department and among the protected birds, both adult and young, were placed under the care of Wildlife SOS under the auspices of the Deputy Conservator of Forests.
Possession or sale of wildlife species is illegal under WPA Law. Many of the bird species rescued on Friday were not from the national capital and were being smuggled in from neighboring states.
This illegal bird market in Delhi has been around for a long time and it is located in front of the Red Fort, near the Jama Masjid. There have been many such attacks in the past. However, Delhi police said that the business of buying and selling birds is done without any concern.
Our Citizen Reporter,
Venkata T Reddy
