Sandalwood actor Darshan, wife booked for keeping rare birds

MYSURU: The Karnataka Forest department has booked a case against Sandalwood actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, his wife Vijaya Lakshmi and farmhouse manager Nagaraj under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 for illegally possessing bar-headed geese, which are migratory birds, in his farmhouse at Kempaianahundi village on Mysuru-T Narasipura Road.

A forest mobile squad raided the farmhouse on Friday night and seized four bar-headed geese, which comes under Scheduled 2 of the WPA, kept in an enclosure illegally. The foresters will release the birds in the Hadinaru Lake near Mysuru after taking permission from the court.  

DCF Bhaskar said during the raid, they found black swan, ostrich, emu and other species of birds housed in the farm and have asked the manager to produce documents to possess the birds. These birds can be reared, but the owner has to take permission from the department.

Wildlife activist Joseph Hoover said that foresters came to know about bar-headed geese through a video where Darshan was interviewed at his farm. During the shoot at the farm, Darshan tells the interviewer that the bar-headed geese are from Mongolia.

“The video went viral, compelling the forest squad from Mysuru to raid the farm on Friday evening. Darshan is a true wildlife enthusiast. He loves animals and birds. He has been an ambassador for wildlife conservation. Recently, he was nominated to the State Board for Wildlife. Obviously, Darshan wasn’t aware of bar-headed geese being listed in Schedule 2 of the WPA,” he said.