Two arrested for trapping protected green pigeons in UP's Kaushambi

Two persons were arrested here on Monday for allegedly capturing protected green pigeons and 14 live birds along with a plastic net were recovered from their possession, police said.

Acting on a tip-off that birds were being hunted in a forested area near Alwara Lake under the Mahewaghat police station limits, a police team conducted a raid and caught the accused while they were carrying the birds trapped in a net, police said.

Station House Officer, Mahewaghat, Dhirendra Singh said the accused -- Lakhan Lal and Suresh, residents of Ward No 5 of Purab Sharira area under the Paschim Sharira police station in the district -- were apprehended from the forested area near Alwara Lake.

During interrogation, the accused admitted that they used to trap protected green pigeons, locally known as 'hariyal' (yellow-footed green pigeon), from forest areas and sell them at high prices in other districts, the SHO said.

Singh said Deputy Ranger Manoj Kumar of Saraiyan range was called to the police station and the rescued birds were handed over to him. Cases have been registered against the accused under sections 3/51 of the Wildlife Protection Act and Section 325 (mischief by killing or maiming an animal) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and they were produced before court.

After completion of legal formalities, the SHO and the deputy ranger released the rescued green pigeons back into the wild, police added.

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