Parts of wild animals sold as immunity boosters, seized in Haridwar

India: The Uttarakhand forest officials and police have stumbled upon a thriving illegal trade in endangered wildlife body parts that are being sold as religious items and immunity boosters in Haridwar’s Roorkee, officials said on Thursday.

Police raided two shops at the Roorkee main market that sell religious items and seized wildlife body parts that come under Schedule-1 of the Wildlife Act, said forest beat officer Paramjeet Singh.

Following a complaint from the People for Animals, an organization that works to eliminated animal suffering, two decoy customers were sent to the shops, he said.

“The shopkeepers on demanding wildlife body parts gave the decoy customers nails of an owl and body parts of a lizard,” Singh said.

“Later, we raided the two shops and seized the body parts of an owl and a lizard and other wild animals, sale of which is prohibited.”

Forest ranger Mayank Garg said similar raids are being conducted across the city to bust the network of people involved in the illegal trade.

Police and animal rights activists suspect that mass scale illegal trade of wildlife parts used for religious rites is being sold openly in the district.

Haridwar being a religious centre, there is large scale illegal trade in wildlife body parts, some of them said.

Animal rights activist Deepak said there are many shops across the state that sell body parts of wild animals, especially that of protected species.

“We inform the police and the forest department as soon as we come to know about such activities,” he said.

Teerth purohit yuva mahasabha--an organisation of priests, has demanded that legal action be taken against people who are involved in sale and purchase of animal parts being traded in the name of religious items.

Ujjwal Pundit, Akhil Bharatiya Yuva Teerth Mahasabha president said such people are maligning the image of Haridwar.

Animal fairs were held in Haridwar during British era when animals were sold for domestic use and as means of transport, said historian Mahesh Parikh.

“Animal parts sold as religious items or rituals are improper a number of people are involved in the illegal trade.

“Police should raid shops that sell religious items across the district as people from across the country, who have superstitious beliefs that animal body parts is panacea for all kind of illness and boost immunity, are the prime customers,” he said.

In November, the forest department seized four turtles-- listed as an endangered species-- from two pet shops in Haridwar following a complaint by the People for Animals.

There is a thriving illegal trade of endangered turtles as the animals is in high demand among people with superstitious beliefs that keeping the docile reptiles at home will bring good luck, Parikh said.

(Source: The Hindustan Times)