BHOPAL: An inter-state turtle smuggling racket, which used Air-Conditioned First Class (AC First) coaches of long-distance trains to transport endangered turtles from Uttar Pradesh to Madhya Pradesh, is expanding as investigations by the state tiger strike force (STSF) make further inroads.
Not only has one AC First Class coach attendant been implicated, but multiple attendants who used the privacy of these premier coaches to stash smuggled turtles, charging between Rs 3,000 and Rs 5,000 per consignment, are now under investigation by Madhya Pradesh’s wildlife crime authorities.
Following the arrest of Ajay Singh Rajput, a First Class AC coach attendant on the Patna–Indore Express, along with 311 rare and endangered turtles at Sant Hirdaram Nagar railway station on 3 February 2026, another attendant, Ujjain resident Karan Malviya, has also been arrested for his involvement in the racket.
The fresh arrests include three dog breeders and local traders: Arvind Parihar, Parvez Khan (Ratlam, MP), and Deepak Parkhe (Indore), in addition to the AC First Class attendants. With these arrests, the total number of people apprehended in connection with the racket has risen to seven, including the alleged kingpin, Asif Khan, who was arrested on 10 February in Dewas district.
Authorities expect more arrests in the coming days, targeting pet shop owners, breeders, and additional AC First Class coach attendants, as multiple STSF teams conduct raids across western Madhya Pradesh and other states.
The 311 turtles seized from the Patna–Indore Express included four vulnerable and endangered species: Crowned River Turtles, Indian Tent Turtles, Indian Roofed Turtles, and Star Tortoises.
The Madhya Pradesh Forest Department’s wildlife wing has cautioned the public that rearing turtles constitutes a non-bailable offence under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, punishable by up to seven years in prison and monetary penalties.
Investigations indicate that poachers sourcing the turtles primarily operate in riverine areas of central Uttar Pradesh, including Lucknow, Kanpur, Unnao, Sultanpur, Amethi, and Rae Bareli. Historically, ponds in Sultanpur and Jaunpur districts were notorious for supplying turtles to smuggling rackets, often linked to Southeast Asian markets.
The current racket, busted on board the Patna–Indore Express in Bhopal, sourced turtles directly from major rivers and their tributaries in Uttar Pradesh.