Acting on a tip-off, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel on Tuesday rescued 117 live turtles from Bhubaneswar Railway station when they were being illegally transported in Utkal Express train. Four persons, including a woman, have been arrested in this connection.
The turtles were rescued based on an intelligence input that some persons were carrying the live turtles in the general coach of Utkal Express. As soon as the train reached Bhubaneswar railway station, the RPF officers searched the coach and rescued the live turtles packed in four bags.
The accused have been identified as Ajay Mohana, Bimal, Subhashish Parida and Sushma Barik.
Preliminary investigation reveals that the accused had purchased the turtles from a person at Birapurushottampur village for Rs 7200 and had travelled from Dhauli Express from Belda station and got down at Sakhigopal station.
Later, they boarded Utkal Express at Sakhigopal railway station and were travelling to to sell the turtles in the local market.
" After legal formalities, the detained persons and 117 live turtles were handed over to Forest Range officer, Mancheswar- Saheed Nagar Bhubaneswar Team for legal action under the provision of "The Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972" against them," an official statement read.