FIR Registered Against Ludhiana Man for Illegal Wildlife Trade and Possession, Following PETA India Complaint

For Immediate Release:

23 June 2026

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Ludhiana—After learning of videos published on Instagram by a man offering to sell Bonnet Macaques (Macaca radiata), protected under Schedule I, and Alexandrine Parakeet (Psittacula eupatria), protected under Schedule II of the Wild Life (Protection) Act (WPA), 1972, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals India (PETA India) worked with the Ludhiana Forest Division and Sadar Raikot Police Station to get a First Information Report (FIR) registered against him for illegal trade and possession of protected wildlife.

An Instagram account named dilveer_lohatbaddi, which belongs to Dalbir Singh, had posted videos of himself with wild animals and offering them for sale. In one notable video, he had advertised an infant Bonnet Macaque for sale and encouraged interested buyers to contact him. In several videos, the accused was seen with an Alexandrine Parakeet.

Following a complaint filed by PETA India, the Ludhiana Forest Division conducted a raid at the accused’s residence with assistance from the Sadar Raikot Police Station. No wildlife was found at the accused’s residence during the raid, but a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against the accused based on social media evidence under various provisions of the WPA, 1972. Offences involving species protected under Schedule I are punishable with imprisonment of at least three years, which may extend to seven years, and a fine of at least ₹25,000; while offences involving species protected under Schedule II are punishable by a jail term of up to three years, or a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh, or both.

“Wildlife belongs in forests – their natural homes, not kept in captivity by humans or in cages,” says PETA India Cruelty Response Assistant, Vamsi Krishna. “PETA India commends the Ludhiana Forest Division, particularly the Range Forest Officer, Shri Narinder Singh and the Sadar Raikot Police Station for sending a clear message that cruelty to animals will not be tolerated.”

In addition to being revered in Hinduism, monkeys play an important role in local ecosystems by dispersing seeds, which is largely due to their predominantly fruit-based diet, and their absence can be detrimental to forests. In the illegal bird trade, countless birds are taken from their families and denied everything that’s natural and important to them so that they can be sold as “pets” or used as tourist attractions. Fledglings are often snatched from their nests, and other birds panic as they’re caught in traps or nets that can seriously injure or kill them as they struggle to break free. Captured birds are packed into small boxes, and an estimated 60% of them die in transit from broken wings and legs, thirst, or sheer panic. Those who survive face a bleak life in captivity, suffering from malnutrition, loneliness, depression, and stress.

PETA India – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment or abuse in any other way” – points out that the WPA, 1972, bans the capture, caging, and trading of indigenous birds and that non-compliance can result in imprisonment, a fine, or both. In addition, caging birds violates the Prevention of Cruelty to the Animals Act, 1960, which stipulates that it’s illegal to keep or confine any animal in a cage or other receptacle that doesn’t provide them with a reasonable opportunity for movement – and for an aerial bird, that includes flight.

For more information, please visit PETAIndia.com or follow the group on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

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