Over 2000 lovebirds, pet animals rescued from parcel bogie of Dnyaneshwari Exp at Nagpur
Nagpur: As the world celebrated Earth Day on April 22, a devastating development stunned animal lovers as hundreds of lovebirds, pet animals died of suffocation when they were being caged and smuggled in a train cruelly. Due to an alert animal lover, the heart-wrenching incident came to the fore. The animal lover uploaded images of lovebirds and pet animals such as white mouse and rabbits being caged and put into parcel bogie of 12102 Howrah-LTT Dnyaneshwari Express on Facebook and tagged it with the Office of Union Minister Maneka Gandhi. The Minister swung into action and alerted the railway police and Forest Department officials.
Following the alert, a joint team of Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) waited the train to arrive at Nagpur Railway Station and rescued more than 2,000 lovebirds, pigeons, white mouse and rabbits. The birds and pet animals were being smuggled to Mumbai from Kolkata in Dyaneshwari Express in inhumane manner. The alert train passenger, Shubrat Das, noticed the lovebirds, white mouse and rabbits stuffed in cages and being transported in parcel bogie of the train. He immediately shot the video and sent it to twitter handle of Maneka Gandhi and Maharashtra Police. They promptly alerted Nagpur Police for action. After receiving inputs from Nagpur Police, senior officials of RPF and GRP swung into action. The staff reached Platform No. 8 when the train arrived at 5.20 pm. After discovering the birds stuffed in the cages, the cops asked officials of parcel department to unload the cages from the coach. Some animal activists who too got wind also turned up during the action. A veterinary doctor and Forest Department officials conducted health check-up of the birds and took into possession.
Over hundred lovebirds and pet animals were found dead due to suffocation as they were stuffed inside small cages. The birds were being smuggled to Mumbai from West Bengal and collective cost of the birds is more than Rs 10 lakh. The officials of Parcel Department told the police officials that it is perfectly legal to transport birds in Railways. Till late in night discussions were on as to whether the birds can be impounded if they are being legally booked as luggage and carried on railways. An offence will be registered under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
