Ghaziabad, Dec 10 (IANS) Police in Ghaziabad rescued over 700 endangered species of parrots from a smuggler, who was taking them to Delhi to sell.
According to police, police stopped a Rajasthan Roadways bus near the Uttar Pradesh Gate Wednesday night and seized the 700 parrots. The smuggler, Raj Kishore was arrested.

According to Senior Superintendent of Police Akhil Kumar, Raj Kishore had bought the birds from Moradabad and was taking them to the Jama Masjid market in Delhi for sale. The rescued parrots included rare species.

“At the time when the bus was being stopped for checking, the cages containing parrots were kept on the roof of the bus and were wrapped in thick cloth so as to give them an appearance of some goods. The birds were in a bad state, confined in seven iron cages. Most of them were almost in a dying stage,” the SSP said.

Police said these parrots were bought at prices ranging from Rs.2,500-3,000 per bird by “wealthy people from Arab countries”.