200 bulbuls rescued from train

HOWRAH: Around 200 bulbuls were rescued from two smugglers who, wildlife officials suspect, were trying to sell them during Makar Sankranti in Allahabad. The birds were in eight cages. Their carriers, Mohammad Siraj and Mohammad Irfan, were headed for Allahabad on board the Howrah-Kalka Mail when they were caught on Sunday.Acting on atip-off, officials belonging to the vigilance section of the state forestdepartment’s wildlife wing raided the Howrah-Kalka Mail just before itleft Howrah station on Sunday evening. Sourav Karmakar, forest ranger andin-charge of the wildlife vigilance section, said information had reached HowrahDFO Subhomoy Chanda about the plan by Rajabazar residents Irfan and Siraj tosmuggle bulbuls to Allahabad. These birds are protected underSchedule IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act. On spotting the two with eightcages full of bulbuls, the wildlife officials arrested them and seized thecages. Wildlife officials suspect the duo was taking the birds tothe pilgrim town for Makar Sankranti. Shows involving fights among bulbuls arestaged during the annual fair there. Subhankar Patra, a bird watcher in Howrah,said the seized birds probably belong to the Pycnonotus cafer species ofbulbuls. Irfan and Siraj were produced in the court of Howrah CJMArvind Panthi on Monday and remanded in judicial custody for eight days. The CJMalso ordered that the birds be released.