Gujarat High Court has ordered the release of 494 birds held captive in cages, saying that it was the fundamental right of birds to fly in the open sky and their confinement was violation of their right to live freely. The order was passed last week by Justice M R Shah while dealing with a bunch of petitions where the issue under question was whether birds have a right to live freely and whether they can be kept in cages. A bunch of petitions was filed last year by bird sellers of Surat demanding custody of the caged birds which were confiscated by police under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and under section 12 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.