Noida man found with carcass of Uttar Pradesh’s state animal Sarus, arrested
Two men on motorcycle UP 13 AP 0979 were carrying the dead Sarus crane when they were intercepted by the police following a tip-off. The police said while they were able to arrest Risiya, his partner Kamal managed to escape and efforts are on to nab him again
A suspected poacher has been arrested after a dead Sarus crane — the state bird of Uttar Pradesh — was found in his possession in Greater Noida while his accomplice managed to flee the spot, police said on Friday.
The man was arrested during patrolling by local police along the Chachura border in the Rabupura police station area of Gautam Buddh Nagar district on Thursday evening, police officials said.
“Two men on motorcycle UP 13 AP 0979 were carrying the dead Sarus crane when they were intercepted by the police following a tip-off,” a police spokesperson said.
“During a preliminary probe, they said they had trapped the Sarus crane by putting a noose around its neck after they spotted it in the jungle of nearby Myana village,” the spokesperson said.
The police said while they were able to arrest Risiya, around 35, his partner Kamal managed to escape and efforts are on to catch him again.
Risiya hails from Amroha, while Kamal is a native of Aligarh, the police said.
An FIR has been lodged under provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
The Sarus crane was designated as Uttar Pradesh’s state bird in 2014 amid its dwindling population globally, highlighting the importance of conserving its population and habitat.
Known as the world’s tallest flying bird, the Sarus crane is also classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).