Ludhiana: 38 protected birds rescued from Jagraon pet shop, owner booked

Red munias are protected under Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act, and their sale and purchase through pet shops is prohibited

Ludhiana: At least 38 red munia birds, a protected species whose commercial sale and possession are prohibited under the Wildlife Protection Act, were rescued from a pet shop in Jagraon by a team of the forest and wildlife department, with the help of a local environmentalist on Thursday.

A team raided the Royal Pet Shop in Jagraon and rescued the birds. (HT File)

The Ludhiana Rural Police have registered an FIR against the shop owner following a complaint by Narinder Singh, wildlife range officer. The action followed a tip-off received by environmentalist Sahil Sharma about the alleged illegal sale and purchase of red munias. Sharma alerted the forest and wildlife authorities, following which a team raided the Royal Pet Shop in Jagraon and rescued the birds.

“Red munias are protected under Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act, and their sale and purchase through pet shops is prohibited,” Sharma said.

The FIR has been registered against shop owner Manish Gumber under Sections 2, 9, 39, 48, 49, 51 and 57 of the Wildlife Protection Act at the Jagraon City police station.

Divisional forest officer Davinder Pal Singh said the birds were allegedly being kept in large numbers for commercial sale despite their protected status. “Keeping, possessing and trading protected birds constitutes serious offences under the Act,” he said.