The Varthur police arrested two persons in connection with an inter-State online racket in Alexandrine Parakeet chicks and rescued 26 chicks.
Based on a tip-off, a team of police approached the accused, Bharath and Akshith, posing as buyers and arrested them. The accused told the police that they had sourced the birds from their contacts in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, and were selling them to customers online . The rescued chicks have been handed over to Bannerghatta rescue centre.
The young hatchlings are snatched away from their nests in forests in January every year, routed through Chennai and sold across India.
Wildlife volunteers requested people not to buy them because the trade is flourishing only due to demand in the market. Police said that trading in and keeping the birds as pets is illegal under the Protection of Wildlife Act.
Taking care of these birds is very expensive and they require a lot of care. Even slight negligence can lead to the death of the chick.
