As many as 97 green parrot hatchlings seized from smugglers recently turned out to have died in the custody of customs authorities in North 24-Parganas’s Tentulia.

The incident reportedly came to light on Monday when the Basirhat ACJM court made a query about the birds upon the production of one of the smugglers nabbed by the Border Security Force (BSF).

Customs authorities told the court that 97 green parrot hatchlings, out of 140 recovered by the BSF, died at their office.

The court directed forest department to release the birds after proper rehabilitation.

On January 13, BSF personnel attached to 112 Battalion under the South Bengal Frontier nabbed Hasibur Sardar, 20, of Swarupnagar, an Indian smuggler, in possession of 140 green parrots, from Tarali village.

"The parrots were packed into small cages and put inside three bags which Hasibur was carrying when nabbed. BSF authorities on Friday handed over the birds along with the smuggler to the customs authorities," said a source.

Sources in the customs office added that the birds were left uncared for for almost three days until Monday when officials came to hand over the birds to the Forest Office.

A customs official who refused to be identified said, “There was a communication gap in our official hierarchy for handing over the birds to forest authorities. There was a major lapse on our part that claimed the lives of the birds”.

A team of Forest officials later examined the birds and took away the survivors

“The birds were being smuggled in cages that were quite suffocating. We heard that some hatchlings were even gasping. Their condition further deteriorated due to absence of food, water and medical care”, a forest official said.

Meanwhile, the ACJM Basirhat sent accused smuggler Hasibur to seven days of jail custody.

A BSF official of the SB Frontier expressed shock over the incident. “Our jawans always remain vigilant in attempting to save exotic birds from being smuggled. But, if the birds die in such a way, the initiative loses its objective”, the official said.

Bibartan Bhattacharjee, a nature care activist, commented, “The BSF should henceforth hand over birds directly to forest authorities to save time and lives”.