2 men held for smuggling parrots from Delhi to Guj

Jaipur: Forest department Monday arrested two men for allegedly smuggling 165 parrots captured from the wild. The birds were being transported from Delhi to Ahmedabad via Jodhpur when authorities intercepted the consignment.
A senior forest official investigating the case said the parrots were ordered by an Ahmedabad-based shopkeeper. "The birds were kept in Jodhpur overnight before being sent to Ahmedabad via a private bus. However, our wildlife division team seized the shipment and arrested the two smugglers," the official said.
Acting on a tip-off, officials learned that the parrots—packed in five cages—were set to be transported from Jodhpur Sunday. A raid was conducted at Basni Mandi bus stand, where authorities heard sounds of birds from a taxi. Upon inspection, they found the cages and arrested the accused—Ejaaz Khan and taxi driver Shaukeen, both residents of Quraishi Chowk, Uday Mandir. The vehicle was also impounded.
During questioning, the duo revealed that the parrots were to be sent as a parcel to Ahmedabad. The shipment was allegedly arranged by Sikandar Sheikh (Ejaaz's uncle) from Delhi, with the birds kept in Jodhpur temporarily for feeding.
The smugglers admitted that wild parrots are typically caught, trained, and sold to pet traders or shops for Rs 200–300 each. A case was registered under the Wildlife Protection Act, and further investigations are on to unearth the smuggling network.