‘Mini-zoo’ found in a Old City resident’s house

Cordon and search operations are generally conducted by the city police to keep a check on anti-social elements. Rowdy-sheeters are often taken into custody and weapons and other items related to cases are seized during such operations.

But, finding a house full of animals, or rather a ‘mini-zoo’ in a wealthy man’s abode was the last thing that the South Zone police probably expected to see.

At Kalapathar, police officials found several birds and other big animals like a Llama in more than 20 cages at the house of one Mohammed Rafeeq. It was found that he had kept a variety of foreign birds and animals there. “His son Mohd. Sohail has a showroom in Banjara Hills, where they sell birds. There were a lot of red coloured parrots and other such birds in their home,” said V. Satyanarayana, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), South Zone.

Mr. Satyanarayana said that recently the Uttar Pradesh police had intercepted a person and seized a leopard and the carcass of another animal, which is on the edge of extinction, at Mirzapur. Information of a ‘mini-zoo’ being run in the Old City in Hyderabad was obtained by the Uttar Pradesh police.

“Rafiuqe said that his son has a trade license but failed to show it. There was clear information that some people were illegally trading with these wild animals,” said the DCP. He added that Rafique is in police custody and is being interrogated to find out as to how the birds and animals were procured and if he has any more hidden.

After finding the animals, the police contacted officials of the Wildlife wing under the Forest Department to ascertain if the birds and animals are endangered species or not, stated Mr. Satyanarayana. On Thursday morning, the cordon and search operation was conducted under the Kalapathar police station limits, after which 17 rowdy-sheeters were taken into custody.