Bhubaneswar: The Railway Protection Force (RPF) seized more than 100 turtles while being transported in a train at Bhubaneswar railway station and arrested four persons including a woman in this connection on Tuesday.
Following reliable information about illegal transport of the turtles in Utkal Express running from Puri to Yeshvantpur Junction, the RPF conducted a raid on a general compartment of the train after it reached Bhubaneswar.
During the raid, the RPF team found 117 turtles kept in four bags by the four persons who were identified as Ajay Mohana, Bimal Shit, Subashis Parida and Sushma Barik. All of them belong to West Midnapore district in neighboring West Bengal.
After their arrest, the four persons revealed to the RPF that they had purchased the turtles from a resident of Birapurusottampur village in Puri district and were planning to sell them in the local market in Jaleswar.
Later, the RPF handed over the seized turtles and arrested persons to Forest officials. The Forest department has initiated legal action against the four accused under the Wildlife Act, 1972.
