Bhopal News: Turtle Smuggling; RPF Probe To Unearth Full Network

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): RPF officials are investigating into the full network of illegal wildlife smuggling after shocking recovery of 311 live turtles from the AC coach of Patna-Indore Express.

On Tuesday night, RPF and State Tiger Strike Force arrested a railway coach attendant carrying 311 live turtles stuffed into two bags.

During routine checking at the station, officials noticed suspicious behaviour by the attendant Ajay Rajput and inspected his luggage in which they found hundreds of live turtles crammed into bags.

Rajput had access to a private cabin and bedroll storage where the two bags containing the turtles were concealed.

RPF officials said that during questioning, Rajput confessed that he was transporting the turtles to Dewas and Indore for parcel delivery. He revealed that a man named Ravindra Kashyap based in Lucknow had offered him Rs 2500 for the job.

Officials estimate that small turtles fetch Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 each in the illegal market, often sold under the guise of aquarium pets. As turtles grow, their value increases further. The seized consignment of 311 turtles may be worth several lakhs of rupees in the black market.