Over 150 Parakeets And Pigeons Rescued From Delhi's Kabutar Market

New Delhi: Over 150 parakeets and pigeons living in deplorable conditions at the Kabutar Market near Jama Masjid were rescued in a police raid following a complaint by PETA India. Two of the parakeets were found dead during the operation.

The raid, led by the Jama Masjid Police Station on Monday, resulted in the seizure of 56 pigeons and 90 parakeets, including 49 Alexandrine, 39 rose-ringed and 2 plum-headed parakeets.

The birds were discovered in deplorable conditions, confined to small, filthy cages or stuffed into cloth bags, while the pigeons were similarly cramped in poor living environments, according to a statement.

The authorities acted on a complaint lodged by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) India with the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central District and the Jama Masjid Police Station.

An FIR has been registered against the alleged perpetrators under relevant sections of the Wildlife (Protection) Act (WPA), 1972, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

After their recovery, the surviving birds were immediately sent for health checks, treatment, and temporary rehabilitation. Once fully recovered, they will be released into the wild, the statement said.

Alexandrine, rose-ringed, and plum-headed parakeets are protected under Schedule II of the WPA, 1972. Under the law, buying, selling, or possessing these species is an offense punishable by a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh, a jail term of up to three years, or both.

These species, along with other endangered wildlife, are also protected internationally under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

"Birds are social beings who are born to fly in the open sky, not spend their lives lonely and miserable in cages," said Sunayana Basu, PETA India's Cruelty Response Coordinator.

Emphasising the cruelty of the illegal bird trade, PETA India said that countless birds are taken from their natural habitats, causing them immense suffering. Fledglings are often snatched from their nests, while adult birds are trapped and injured as they struggle to escape.

Many birds die in transit due to broken limbs, dehydration, or panic. Those who survive face a life of confinement, often suffering from malnutrition, loneliness, and stress, Basu added.

PETA India further stated that this is not the first intervention of its kind.

In July, the central division of the Delhi Forest Department, with support from the Jama Masjid Police Station, recovered over 1,000 birds from Kabutar Market, including Alexandrine and ring-necked parakeets, as well as hundreds of finches, following a complaint by PETA India.

In March 2022, thousands of adult and baby birds were rescued in a similar raid at the market, including ring-necked and plum-headed parakeets, munias, and a pigeon, the statement concluded.