Hyderabad Police rescue four Indian rollers from illegal captivity during Dasara

Hyderabad Police rescued four Indian rollers from illegal captivity at three locations during Dasara after citizens alerted them. The bird, locally known as Palapitta, is Telangana’s state bird.The birds were allegedly kept in iron cages for commercial gain despite warnings against harming wildlife, Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar said on X.Police rescued two birds from narrow cages near a temple close to Bapughat in Langar Houz. A third was found in a cage hanging from a tree near Sri Chitragupta Swamy Temple in Chatrinaka, and the fourth near Balajinagar temple in Mangalhat.All four birds were handed over to forest officials for care. Police will coordinate with the Forest Department to initiate legal action against those responsible, the statement said. Sajjanar condemned the trapping of birds in the name of festival celebrations, saying that making them suffer for monetary gain was unacceptable. Devotion should be rooted in compassion for living beings, he said.Police urged citizens to report the trapping or harming of wildlife by calling 18004255364, 9803338666 or the emergency helpline 112. - Ends