Two arrested for selling parakeets, one for smuggling sandalwood in Vellore

The duo procured the birds from narikuravars and sold them; another smuggled sandalwood from Arasampattu RF

Three persons were arrested in two different incidents for advertising and selling parakeets and smuggling sandalwood logs from reserve forest in Vellore on Tuesday.

Forest officials said the main accused, R. Sarathkumar, 30, a milkman from Kanniyambadi near Vellore town, and his accomplice M. Sathyaraj, 37, a welder in Adukkamparai, had been advertising on social media platforms that parakeets, including fledglings, were available for a sum of ₹3,000 onwards. “Birds such as parakeets are classified under Schedule IV of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act 1972, in which the offence attracts a minimum of three years of imprisonment and fine of ₹5 lakh,” P. Ravikumar, forest range officer, Vellore, told The Hindu.   Based on an alert from the Chennai-based Tamil Nadu Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (TNWCCB), officials led by the District Forest Officer (DFO) Prince Kumar investigated for over two weeks and narrowed down the suspects a few days ago.

Initial investigations revealed that Sarathkumar got acquainted with narikuravars during his travel as milkman to remote villages and hamlets . During such travel, he procured parakeets from narikuravars at cheap rates.

Recently, based on his friend Sathyaraj’s idea, he started to advertise the sale of parakeets. He also gave his mobile number. Under the guise of prospective buyers, local forest officials contacted him. Forest officials lured the duo to Shenbakkam, a congested neighbourhood along the Chennai-Bengaluru Highway and caught the duo redhanded with four parakeets in a box.

They were booked under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 and lodged in the Central Prison in Vellore. The parakeets were handed over to Amirthi zoo in Vellore.

  In another incident, a 35-year-old K. Sankar, a native of Odugathur near Vellore town, was arrested by forest officials for cutting and smuggling sandalwood from Arasampattu RF. Forest officials seized eight wooden logs that weigh around one tonne.