BELAGAVI: A team of Forest Department personnel succeeded in nabbing two persons attempting to sell a turtle, at Uchawade Cross, Khanapur taluk in the district on Wednesday. The arrests were made during the noon, while the duo was attempting to sell it at a cost of Rs 15 lakh.
The accused have been identified as Vinayak Jyotiba Jagrat (22) of Kineya village of Belagavi taluk and Sandeep Narayan Juvekar (20), a resident of Shahapur in Belagavi. Forest personnel have recovered the turtle and two bikes from the accused.
According to sources, the arrests were made based on a tip-off. Learning about the gang, deputy conservator of forests B V Patil, assistant conservator of forests Patil along with range forest officer S S Ningane and team, in the guise of customers approached the accused.
The accused demanded Rs 15 lakh for a specific species of turtle called `Leathery' which have 12 nails. The accused said that though the international rate of the turtle is Rs 10 lakh, unlike other turtles with 20 nails it is rare to find a turtle with 12 nails. After a long bargain, the final deal was stuck at Rs 13 lakh. When the team showed the money suitcase to the accused, they brought the turtle after which the forest personnel nabbed them.
Forest department officials said that the turtle would have been likely been sold to practitioners of black magic, as there is a belief that such turtles enhance the wealth of a person.