(Eds: Correcting para 2, adding para 5)Bhubaneswar, Dec 31 (PTI) Forest personnel seizedaround 1,500 turtles and arrested three persons for illegallytransporting the animals in Odisha's Malkangiri districttoday.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of Forest personnelintercepted a van at MPV-65 village under Kalimela forestrange area and seized the freshwater turtles, said DivisionalForest Officer (Malkangiri), Samrat Gouda.
Three persons, including one belonging to Kakinada inAndhra Pradesh, were arrested for smuggling the animalsnumbering about 1,500 from the neighbouring state, he saidadding that the van bearing Andhra Pradesh registration numberwas also seized.
The turtles were being sent to traders in Malkangirifor sale as these animals are in high demand in the market,Forest officials said adding the arrested persons were bookedunder various provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972and further investigation was on.
The turtles were released at a waterbody nearby.
Earlier, over 350 rare species of turtles, alsosmuggled from Andhra Pradesh, had been seized in Chitrakondaarea of Malkangiri district in June, 2017. PTI COR SKN RGJM.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.