UP man-bird friendship: Arif Khan gets forest dept notice, Sarus crane shifted to Kanpur zoo
The bird would eat with Arif and follow him when he would ride a bike or go to the fields. (Photo: Twitter/Akhilesh Yadav)
Looks like the unique bonding and 'friendship' between a Uttar Pradesh man and a Sarus crane has come to an end thanks to the forest department.
A day after the UP forest department filed a case and issued a notice against Arif Khan Gurjar of Amethi district, the bird has been shifted from Rae Bareli to Kanpur zoo and quarantined for 15 days.
UP | Mohd Arif's friend 'Saras' shifted from Rae Bareli to Kanpur Zoo on 26th March and quarantined for 15 days.
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) March 27, 2023
It was brought yesterday and has been put under quarantine for 15 days. A veterinarian was also present. All protocols are being followed. We have kept it away from… pic.twitter.com/yq2gYHCEBH
What happened
The crane was rescued by Arif, and he took care of the bird for a year in the Mandkha village of Amethi district. The bird shared a bond with Arif and would accompany him everywhere and even eat with him.
The UP forest department took away the bird from Arif on Tuesday (March 21). But the crane went missing from the Samaspur Bird Sanctuary. It was later found in a nearby village Bi Saiya village. Sarus Crane is Uttar Pradesh's official state bird.
Wildlife act
The forest department issued a notice to Arif on Saturday (March 25) and asked him to appear at the office of the Gauriganj divisional forest officer on April 4 to record his statement.
According to the notice issued by Assistant Divisional Forest Officer (Gauriganj) Ranvir Singh, Gurjar has been booked under relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act.
Politics over the bird
A day after the bird was taken away from Arif, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav held a press conference during which he condemned the forest department's action and asked indirectly if any official had the courage to take away the peacocks at the PM's residence.
While the SP chief said the government should have honoured Arif, UP BJP chief Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary said Yadav should understand the difference between a cow and a Sarus which is conserved in the zoological garden, and not "kept in confinement".
The friendship between Arif and the bird
Arif had got the Sarus crane in an injured state a year back. He took it to his house and gave treatment to it. The bird would eat with Arif and follow him when he would ride a bike or go to the fields.
He thought the crane would return to the wild once its injuries healed, but instead, it stayed on. Arif issued a video statement, acknowledging the case and the notice, but said he was "absolutely innocent". It was never my intention that the Sarus crane should remain with us, he said.
"I thought that after its injury is healed, the crane would fly away from here. It used to go, and then come back again. I had not forcibly kept the Sarus (with myself). I am innocent in this case," Arif said.