35 migratory birds killed for smuggling meat in Jhajjar; four held for poaching

ROHTAK:The wildlife department in Jhajjar has detained four men on suspicion of poisoning as many as 35 migratory birds to death for smuggling meat.

The poachers were spotted at Mandothi village by a birdwatcher Sonu Dalal, who informed police and wildlife officials after nabbing them red-handed with the help of village residents.

Sunder Sambharya, the district forest officer (DFO) of Jhajjar, said the 35 birds, all common teals (species), fly to India from countries like Kazakhstan, and Mongolia besides the Siberian region during this time of the year in search of food.

“Poaching the common teal is a punishable offence under the schedule 4 of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.

The birds have been sent for post-mortem, after which a case will be registered against the four men,” he said.

Sambharya said the poachers mildly poison these birds to make them unconscious and then strangle them to death. “They smuggle these birds to roadside dhabas and eateries for their meat. They don't entirely kill them with poison because then they become unsafe for eating,” he said.

The district of Jhajjar witnesses thousands of migratory birds every year due to several water bodies present in the area. The experts said it becomes difficult for them to monitor the hunters as these migratory birds prefer shallow waters of farmers’ waterlogged fields over bird sanctuaries.

HT PHOTOS The suspected poachers who were spotted by a birdwatcher who with the help of villagers nabbed them at Jhajjar’s Mandothi village; and (right) some carcasses of the migratory birds.