Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Mar 12: The forest officials, in an operation conducted near Kadri temple here on Thursday March 11, rescued five parrots which were used by the astrologers by caging them. Five persons were taken into custody and a case under the Wildlife Conservation Act was registered.

The arrested accused happens to be Basavaraj from Yeshwantpura Bengaluru, Raghavendra and Durgesh Naikar from Pillahalli, Ashok Bora from Goragunte Palya, and Annappa R from Pillahalli. During the questioning, the astrologers said they are functioning as parrot astrologers as a means of service to the people as per a religious vow undertaken by them.

The parrots, particularly the parakeet variety, are normally caught from the forests, after which their wings are clipped and beaks are blunted. They are beaten and trained to remain in cage, come out when signalled, pick an astrology card, and go back into the cage after handing the card to the owner. As per Wildlife Conservation Act, torturing them etc are crimes as per law.

Some social activists who had visited the temple had seen the parrot astrologers and alerted forest officer Sridhar.