Arif Khan Gurjar, whose friendship with a Sarus crane is the talk of social media, wants the bird to get back its freedom once its quarantine at a Uttar Pradesh zoo ends.
The action against the Amethi man prompted strong public reactions, with many questioning why attempts were being made to destroy the beautiful friendship. Others argued that the law must take its course.
From the BJP's Varun Gandhi to Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, everyone is rooting for Arif and his Crane friends reunion.
"Once the quarantine ends, it should be freed from his cage and moved to a bird sanctuary. This is my request," Arif informed NDTV.
Arif and the Sarus Crane's friendship
The man had saved the bird when it was injured, and since then the two have been inseparable. The bird tagged along with Aarif wherever he went. Last month, forest department officials took the bird from Arif and shifted it to the Samaspur Bird Sanctuary in Rae Bareli so that it could live in its "natural environment."
The UP Forest Department took the bird away from Arif on March 21, and currently, the bird is quarantined at the Kanpur zoo for 15 days.
Separation of the friends
Arif has been upset since the crane was taken away. "It is my friend. You can understand how two friends feel when they part. I have not gone home since the forest department took the sarus away," he said.
While, days after the sarus crane was shifted to Kanpur zoo, reports emerged that the bird was not eating food properly.
Arif recently visited his friend at the Kanpur zoo. Recounting his recent meeting with the bird at the zoo, he said, "It recognised me instantly and started jumping. Maybe it felt that now that Arif is here, he will take me out of the cage. But that did not happen. There are rules and protocols in the zoo. So I came back."
According to the NDTV report, the Amethi man denied that he had kept the bird at his home. Apparently, the Sarus Crane lived in the jungle, and would come to his doorstep whenever the bird was hungry or just wanted to meet him, after which it would return to the forest.
"It is in a cage, alone. Sarus is Uttar Pradesh's state bird so, in my opinion, it is not right to cage the bird. We will follow whatever rules are laid down," added Arif.
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