Navi Mumbai: A total of 42 protected Munia birds were rescued by the Forest Department in Ulwe Node, Panvel, during an anti-trafficking operation. Two traffickers were arrested in the raid, which was carried out with the help of the Wildlife Welfare Association.
The seized birds include 16 Scaly-breasted Munias, 14 Tricolored Munias, and 12 Red Munias. Officials confirmed that the birds were being kept for illegal sale.
The raid was conducted at a petshop in sector 8, Ulwe wherein the birds were being sold illegally. The arrested accused have been identified as Devendra Lalchand Patil a resident of Koparkhairane and Haresh Damodar Patil, a resident of Pen. Both have been booked under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (Sections 9, 39, 48(A), 51). They were produced before the Panvel court and remanded to two days of police custody.
The operation was led under the guidance of DCF Rahul Patil and ACF Mali, with active participation from RFO Kokre, Foresters Patil and Mane, forest guards, members of the Wildlife Welfare Association, and activist Raghunath Jadhav.
"These birds fall under the family of sparrows and are native birds of India which are protected," WWA said.
