No decision yet taken to handover the birds, animals to rightful claimant
Nagpur: Hundreds of lovebirds and pet animals that were rescued by a joint team of Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) from 12102 Howrah-LTT Dnyaneshwari Express a few days ago have now been caught in the government red tape. The rescued birds and pet animals have found no solacing place and are housed in a Government Poultry Farm at Futala until the district administration arrives at a decision.
On Monday, the lovebirds and pet animals such as white mouse, pigeons and rabbits were found stuffed in cages and loaded in parcel van of Dnyaneshwari Express. The birds and pet animals were being smuggled from West Bengal to various parts of the country. Due to an alert animal lover, the heart-wrenching incident came to the fore. The animal lover uploaded images of lovebirds and pet animals being caged and put into parcel bogie of the train 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 who rescued the birds and pet animals.
Two days after the incident, two persons from Howrah came to Railway Police Station in Nagpur and staked claim on the birds and animals. They demanded to hand over the birds and other species to them. But the matter comes under the authority of District Collector. He will decide to whom to handover the birds and pet animals. Until then the lovebirds and pet animals have been kept at Government Poultry Farm at Futala.
Meanwhile railway police have registered a case against an unidentified person under Section 11(1)(G)(D) of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 and handed over the investigation to GRP, Howrah.
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.
