A person was arrested for his alleged involvement in a wildlife smuggling syndicate in Bihar’s Motihari on Sunday morning. The man was also caught with 155 deskinned birds.
According to officials, the arrest was made near Dhanauti river at Raghunathpur near Motihari, headquarters of East Champaran district Sunday around 5 am.
"We laid a trap after we were being frequently tipped off about a man called Muslim Miyan who indulged in illegal smuggling of migratory birds. Decoying as a buyer, one of our team members approached him and the accused was later caught with 155 deskinned birds," said Prabhakar Jha, divisional forest officer (DFO), East Champaran.
The accused, a resident of Belwa village under Turakauliya police station of East Champaran, was involved in supply of Siberian and other local birds to West Champaran, Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Samastipur and Sitamarhi, among other districts of Bihar, said officials. The other seizures included a motorcycle and ₹10,000.
"He is used to selling some of the species for ₹5,000 as well. The further interrogation is on," said Jha, describing him as an interdistrict smuggler of birds.
"Right after he was arrested, our men received a call on his mobile from Sitamarhi where prices for Siberian and other migratory birds were asked," said an official who was part of team that laid the trap for his arrest.
{{/usCountry}}"Right after he was arrested, our men received a call on his mobile from Sitamarhi where prices for Siberian and other migratory birds were asked," said an official who was part of team that laid the trap for his arrest.
{{/usCountry}}Forest officials have booked him under section 49 B, 52 and 55 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.