Man held with seven demoiselle crane carcasses

Rajkot: Forest officials of the Marine National Park in Devbhumi Dwarka district arrested one Nadeem Radia with carcasses of seven demoiselle cranes at Fakira Pir's shrine along the Dwarka-Mithapur highway at Rupen Bandar.
Range forest officer (RFO) N P Bela received information on Jan 18 about two individuals planning to sell dead birds. The forest department organised multiple teams to catch the offenders, with one staff member positioned as an undercover customer.
When two individuals arrived with the bird carcasses, officials arrested Radia, while his accomplice managed to escape. The forest department seized seven demoiselle crane carcasses.
Bela registered a case under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 as demoiselle cranes are protected under Schedule 1 of the Act. The law prohibits hunting, trading, or possession of these protected birds or their remains.
Forest officials said that the investigation was on to identify additional suspects in this organised wildlife crime. On Jan 19, authorities presented Radia, a resident of Rupen Bandar, before the court, which sent him to judicial custody.