863 Animals Rescued in Joint Raid at Central Delhi Kabootar Market
A joint enforcement raid conducted at Kabootar Market in central Delhi led to the rescue of 863 animals, including 431 protected birds that were being illegally confined and offered for sale. The operation took place on Sunday and was executed by a combined team from the Jama Masjid and Daryaganj police stations, working alongside animal welfare groups and forest officials.
The coordinated operation exposed severe illegal confinement and trade of protected birds as well as other small animals in the market area. Following the rescue operation, police registered an FIR at the Jama Masjid police station on Monday under multiple statutory provisions, including the Wildlife (Protection) Act, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The raid was carried out by police officers in close coordination with People For Animals (PFA), World Wide Animal, which is an animal welfare group, and the Delhi forest and wildlife department. Authorities noted that many of the rescued creatures were found housed in conditions that were severely overcrowded and unhygienic.
Among the 431 protected or scheduled birds recovered during the raid were 183 ring-neck parakeets, 113 munias, 72 plum-headed parakeets, and 63 Alexandrine parakeets. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Rohit Rajbir Singh confirmed that World Wide Animal seized these protected birds in direct coordination with the forest and wildlife department.
In addition to the protected avian species, authorities rescued another 432 birds and animals from cramped cages at the site. These included 148 budgies, 96 lovebirds, 57 cockatiels, 52 non-protected parakeets and other birds, 41 white mice, 18 guinea pigs, 11 rabbits, and nine grey squirrels.
The joint raid marks a major crackdown on illegal animal trade operations functioning out of central Delhi, where animals were being held unlawfully in cages prior to the intervention by law enforcement and wildlife officials.
