376 turtles seized from auto in Malkangiri, 3 arrested

Malkangiri: Police seized 376 turtles from an autorickshaw and arrested three persons at Chitrakonda area in Malkangiri district on Thursday night.
Following information on illegal transportation of turtles, police intercepted the autorickshaw and found 376 rare turtle species inside it. “Three persons, who were travelling in the auto, have been arrested and the vehicle seized,” said a police officer.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the turtles were being transported to MV-72 village in the district from Andhra Pradesh.
“Those arrested are being interrogated for leads into the case. We are also trying to find out whether more people were involved in the crime,” the officer added.