'If my photo is shown...': UP man who rescued sarus crane on reports of bird not eating
In an interview with India Today, Arif Khan spoke about the bond he had developed with sarus crane after he nursed the injured bird back to health. He expressed concern over reports of sarus crane not eating well after it was taken away from him.
A year ago, Arif Khan Gurjar found a sarus crane lying unconscious with a bleeding leg in his field. The man took sarus crane home and nursed the bird back to health. After the crane was all better, it refused to fly away and instead used to follow Arif everywhere. The heartwarming story of friendship between man and bird came to an abrupt end after officials shifted the crane to Samaspur Bird Sanctuary in Rae Bareli last week.
Speaking to India Today, Arif Khan said, “Living without sarus crane is becoming very difficult. Due to quarantine, I was not allowed to visit the bird. I will visit again as soon as quarantine is over.”
Arif Khan was in Kanpur to meet the bird that was taken away from him. He was accompanied by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.
ALSO READ | Why Akhilesh is angry over a Sarus crane being taken away from its ‘friend’
Reacting to reports of sarus crane not eating well after he was taken away from him, Atif said, “How can he be normal after being separated from me?”
He described the situation like a child that was separated from his parents. “I used to feed him dal, chawal, and cooked food. If he is fed the same stuff, he would eat,” Arif Khan said.
"If sarus crane sees my photo, it will start eating automatically,” he added.
Speaking about the bond he had developed with the bird, Arif said, “It became my friend. It used to come and go as it wished. It is now in ‘prison’.”
The official had taken sarus crane away, saying that these birds always live in pairs. The officials were apprehensive about its well being as it was living alone.
Meanwhile, the forest department has filed a case and issued a notice to Arif Khan, asking 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.
AKHILESH YADAV LASHES OUT AT UP GOVT
Amid a war of words between the ruling BJP and the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh over case against Arif Khan, Akhilesh Yadav lashed out against the state government over treatment towards the bird.
“I went to meet Irfan (Solanki), he was sent to Maharajganj jail. I went to meet sarus crane, it was sent to Kanpur. If the bird is sent to Etawah from here, I would be happy as there are lots of sarus cranes there,” Akhilesh Yadav told India Today.
“If there is no law for Yogi Ji's beloved animal, Gullu, and he can feed biscuits comfortably to his dog, then why is there this law for the crane?” Akhilesh Yadav questioned.
He hoped that the government would close the case filed against Arif Khan and not impose any fine on the man who had rescued an injured bird.