KOLKATA: Officials from CID and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau collectively raided a truck close to the Dhulagarh toll plaza and rescued around 2,500 Indian comfortable shell turtles. While 1,799 of them could be despatched to the Salt Lake Turtle Rehabilitation Centre, the remaining were declared lifeless during transportation from Bhubaneswar in Odisha. Four persons were arrested.
The seizure - claimed by means of the CID to be probably the most absolute best in terms of amount - has again uncovered the lucrative turtle industry in Bengal. "Gaighata and Bangaon have emerged as major hubs where people buy turtles for their meat - even from across the border," mentioned a CID reliable. The species has been categorized below the Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
"On Saturday morning, we received inputs that a consignment of the endangered species would come through NH-6. Accordingly, we communicated with Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and forest department officials and conducted raids at Birati and Dhulagarh toll tax areas. We managed to apprehend the truck at Dhulagarh. This is probably the highest number of turtles recovered in Bengal and the second highest in India as reported by WCCB," mentioned DIG (operations) Nishat Pervez.
The group seized 92 plastic cartons and the cost of the turtles has been pegged at Rs 20 lakh. "The accused bought the turtles for Rs 170-Rs 200 a kg. They sold them for anything between Rs 400 and Rs 600at the borders," claimed an reliable.
Accused Uttam Singha and Nitai Das were from Gaighata while truck helper Dipankar Mondal and motive force Debasish Das were from Bongaon. The truck, too, has been seized.
"We are trying to identify the source from where these turtles were being brought," mentioned an officer.
The seizure - claimed by means of the CID to be probably the most absolute best in terms of amount - has again uncovered the lucrative turtle industry in Bengal. "Gaighata and Bangaon have emerged as major hubs where people buy turtles for their meat - even from across the border," mentioned a CID reliable. The species has been categorized below the Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
"On Saturday morning, we received inputs that a consignment of the endangered species would come through NH-6. Accordingly, we communicated with Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and forest department officials and conducted raids at Birati and Dhulagarh toll tax areas. We managed to apprehend the truck at Dhulagarh. This is probably the highest number of turtles recovered in Bengal and the second highest in India as reported by WCCB," mentioned DIG (operations) Nishat Pervez.
The group seized 92 plastic cartons and the cost of the turtles has been pegged at Rs 20 lakh. "The accused bought the turtles for Rs 170-Rs 200 a kg. They sold them for anything between Rs 400 and Rs 600at the borders," claimed an reliable.
Accused Uttam Singha and Nitai Das were from Gaighata while truck helper Dipankar Mondal and motive force Debasish Das were from Bongaon. The truck, too, has been seized.
"We are trying to identify the source from where these turtles were being brought," mentioned an officer.
2,500 turtles seized, 700 found dead in transit
![2,500 turtles seized, 700 found dead in transit]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
May 27, 2018
Rating:
