Varanasi, Jan 7 (PTI) A member of an inter-state wildlife trafficking gang was arrested and 334 protected parrots were rescued from his possession at the Cantonment Railway Station here, officials said on Wednesday.
Mohammad Zahid was arrested by the Special Task Force of Uttar Pradesh police on Tuesday at around 7.15 pm from platform number 5 of Varanasi Cantt railway station.
They had been receiving inputs over the past few days about increased activity of gangs involved in the illegal trafficking of protected wildlife.
Following the inputs, STF units were directed to intensify intelligence gathering and take necessary action under the supervision of Additional Superintendent of Police Satyasen Yadav.
On Tuesday, an STF team received specific information that a gang member was carrying prohibited parrots and was heading towards West Bengal.
The information was shared with the Divisional Forest Officer, Varanasi, and with the help of the Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF), the accused was arrested at the railway station, the officials said.
During interrogation, Zahid told STF that he had procured some of the parrots from a man named Karan (from Fatehpur district), who is involved in catching parrots, peacocks and birds, while the remaining birds were sourced through one of Karan’s associates from Pratapgarh district.
He said he was transporting the parrots in plastic bags in the RMS coach of the Amritsar–Howrah Mail and was on his way to Bardhaman.
The accused claimed that he bought the parrots in UP at rates ranging from Rs 150 to Rs 200 per bird and sold them in West Bengal for Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 each.
The STF of Uttar Pradesh police team recovered 334 parrots belonging to the prohibited species, Rose-ringed Parrot and Alexandrine Parakeet, along with seven plastic bags and cash amounting to Rs 3,700, a statement here said.
A case has been registered against him at the Forest range office, Varanasi, and further legal proceedings are underway, officials added. PTI ABN HIG
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