Gujarat: Wildlife trade racket busted, Indian star tortoises and rose-ringed parakeets rescued

Ahmedabad, Nov 24 The Ahmedabad Rural Special Operations Group (SOG) and the Ahmedabad Social Forestry Department raided multiple locations in the Shahpur area and uncovered an illegal wildlife trade racket involving protected species.

Acting on specific intelligence, teams moved simultaneously across two locations on November 23, 2025, recovering dozens of endangered animals kept in captivity. The operation was conducted under the guidance of senior officials, including Jaipal Singh, Chief Wildlife Warden of Gujarat, IPS officer Vidhi Chaudhary, Inspector General of Police, Ahmedabad Range, and K. Ramesh (IFS), Chief Conservator of Forests, Ahmedabad. The supervision of SP Omprakash Jat (IPS), Deputy Conservator of Forests Minal Jani (GFS) and ACF H.N. Chavda ensured coordinated execution on the ground.

Team 1 raided a residence in Kidi Pada ni Pol, Shahpur, where 34 Indian star tortoises were found confined in cages. The species is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, making its possession and trade a serious offence. At a separate location in Gundi Chowk, Shahpur, Team 2 recovered 101 rose-ringed parakeets (suda popat), a Schedule II species under the same Act.

Officials have registered offences under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and further investigation is underway to identify the wider network involved in the illegal trade.

The rescued animals were seized as case property and transferred to the Wildlife Care Centre in Bodakdev under the Daskroi Range for rehabilitation and medical care.

According to a statement issued by the Social Forestry Department, Ahmedabad, the raids highlight the continuing efforts of enforcement agencies to curb wildlife trafficking and protect endangered species in urban areas.

Illegal wildlife trade involving protected species is a serious criminal offence in India because it threatens biodiversity, endangers already vulnerable animals, and fuels an underground network that profits from cruelty and ecological damage.

Under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the possession, transport, captivity, or sale of protected species—such as Schedule I animals like the Indian star tortoise and Schedule II species like the rose-ringed parakeet—is strictly prohibited. Violations can result in imprisonment of up to seven years, heavy fines, or both, depending on the severity of the offence.

These laws exist because illegal trade disrupts ecological balance, accelerates species extinction, and often subjects animals to brutal conditions. Enforcement agencies treat such crimes as punishable to safeguard India’s wildlife heritage and curb a global black market that jeopardises environmental security.

--IANS

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