Alappuzha Police and Ranni Forest Division Crackdown on Illegal Possession of Brahminy Kites by Restaurants, Following PETA India Complaint

For Immediate Release:

14 April 2026

Contact:

Alappuzha — After receiving videos showing the illegal possession and abuse of Brahminy Kites (Haliastur indus) – a species protected under Schedule I of The Wild Life (Protection) Act (WPA), 1972, by certain restaurants in Alappuzha district, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals India (PETA India) worked with Alappuzha Police and Ranni Forest Division to conduct a raid.

A juvenile Brahminy Kite was found in the illegal possession of Sumandras Restaurant in Pallathuruthy village, North Kainakary, in Alappuzha district, and was reportedly being harassed for entertainment, such as being handled by tourists and forced to pose for photographs. Upon receiving the complaint, a team from PETA India along with Alappuzha police officials raided Sumandras Restaurant and seized the bird who had been hidden by the owner in his house. Pursuant to the raid, the Ranni Forest Division registered a Wild Life Offense Report (WLOR) under the relevant provisions of the WPA, 1972, against the owner. The matter is currently under investigation.

Photos and videos from the raid are available upon request.

Section 9 of the WPA, 1972, prohibits the hunting of protected wild animals. Under Section 2(16), “hunting” includes capturing or attempting to do so, as well as baiting or using animals to facilitate such acts. Section 39(1) of the WPA states that all wild animals are the property of the State government, and as per Section 39(3), no person, without the previous permission in writing of the Chief Wildlife Warden or the authorised officer, can acquire or keep in his possession, custody or control any wild animal.

Brahminy Kite, being listed under Schedule I, attracts the highest level of protection under the Act. As per Section 51 of the WPA, offenses involving Schedule I species are punishable with imprisonment of not less than three years, which may extend to seven years, along with a fine of not less than ₹25,000.

“Birds are social beings who are born to fly in the open sky – not spend their lives lonely and miserable in cages and terrified for tourists,” says PETA India Lead Cruelty Response Coordinator Sreekutty Bennet. “We commend the Alappuzha Police and the Ranni Forest Division for taking swift action and registering the Wildlife Offence Report. Strict enforcement is essential to deter such dastardly acts by restaurants and protect wildlife.”

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 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.

PETA India – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way” – opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETAIndia.com or follow the group on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

Sidebar

Donate Now