19 exotic turtles, 40 parakeets seized from Delhi shop

Delhi Police raided a pet shop and seized 19 turtles and 40 parrots of banned species. The wildlife department was informed and the animals were handed over to them. A case has been registered under the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960, and under section 429 of the Indian Penal Code on maiming of an animal. The shopkeeper managed to escape.

The Delhi Police raided a pet shop in northeast Delhi’s Shastri Park on Friday and seized 19 turtles and 40 parrots that belong to species banned for sale and rearing as pets in India, according to officers aware of the matter.

Police said that the turtles were of the spotted black terrapin species. (AFP/ Representational image)

The wildlife department was intimated of the seizures and the turtles and parakeets were handed over to them, said Joy Tirkey, deputy commissioner of police (northeast). Police said that the turtles were of the spotted black terrapin species, but could not immediately confirm the species of the seized parakeets. When a police team raided the shop around 3.30pm on Friday, the shopkeeper allegedly fled the spot. “We recovered 19 turtles kept in a bag and 40 parakeets in a cage,” said the DCP. Additionally, police found two dead parakeets with the alive ones.

“We have registered a case under the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960, and under section 429 of the Indian Penal Code on maiming of an animal,” said Tirkey.

The shopkeeper managed to escape, police said, adding that they are probing whether the man was previously booked for a similar case. Police did not identify the shopkeeper due to the ongoing investigations.