Aparna Nair, TNN | Apr 22, 2013, 01.56 AM IST
NAGPUR: The Maneka Gandhi led raid at Lakadganj bird market on Sunday morning was shrouded in confusion till evening as it could not be decided as to who the action taking authority would be in this case.
While the People for Animals (PFA) called in the forest department for the raid who later took the confiscated birds and their owners to Seminary Hills, the department itself said that as the birds were not in the scheduled list they couldn't take any action in the case. The raid was joined by the Lakadganj police too.
Initially, PFA thought that the forest department was responsible for taking action as Karishma Galani of PFA said, "We know that the forest department would say that the birds don't come under the scheduled list and that is why we have called for a copy of the judgment of Gujarat high court which the bans sale of any kind of birds."
The forest department too was unsure about the applicability of the judgment and till evening it did not receive a copy of the judgment. Gandhi clarified, "Even though the birds do not come under the scheduled list, according to the Gujarat high court judgment, the sale of any bird is illegal and this is applicable in Maharashtra too." But after the department received a copy, it maintained that the matter was to be dealt by the local police. Till evening the birds and their owners were kept in Seminary Hills.
"Ten partridges, five young rabbits, 74 pigeons, 55 lovebirds, four African cockatiels, 16 African lutino brids and a guinea pig were confiscated in the morning. Among them, two pigeons were dead, while many other birds had injuries on their head, wings and legs," said Galani. A complaint was lodged in Lakadganj police station. "Apart from the Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals Act, a case will also be lodged under IPC Sections 428 and 429," said Galani.
The birds have been presently kept at the Maharajbagh Zoo.
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