Ghaziabad (UP), Nov 29 (PTI) Following a complaint lodged by an office bearer of an NGO working for animals, police here have arrested a bus conductor who was allegedly hand-in-gloves with parrot smugglers, a police official said.

The arrested conductor has been identified as Bajrang Lal, a resident of the Sawai Madhopur district in Rajasthan, the official said, adding that he allegedly often ferried parrots in cages from Moradabad to Jaipur. Acting on a tip-off, police on Thursday intercepted a bus near an institute in the Dasna town of Ghaziabad.

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The complaint was lodged by Gaurav Gupta, animal welfare officer of People For Animals (PFA) NGO.

Police carried out a search and recovered two cages containing 200 parrots, who were stuffed forcibly. Some of the parrots were found injured, ACP Wave City Lipi Nagayach said.

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The ACP also said that the cages were concealed at the place of stepney (spare tire) and was covered with gunny bags.

The alleged smugglers Shakeel Khan (48) and Taufik Khan (46) fled from the spot. A case has been registered under sections 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) and 325 (mischief by killing or maiming an animal) of the BNS, the Wildlife Protection Act and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act in this regard against the accused.

On Friday, 200 parrots were uncaged and released in the city forest located in the Rajnagar extension in the presence of the forest department officials, police and PFA.

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