Orissa police seize 96 turtles, arrest one

Pipili Town (Orissa), Dec 12 (ANI): Orissa police seized 96 turtles, which were being smuggled out of the country, and arrested one in this regard in the late hours on Friday.

The illegal consignment was being taken in a vehicle to West Bengal's Midnapore East district.

Police officials said that they intercepted the vehicle on a tip-off.

"Total 96 tortoises were kept in the bag. We seized the turtles and arrest one person in this connection. We informed the forest officials regarding this. Later forest officials came and seized the turtles and the detained person named Durgashankar Maan for further legal action," said Amulya Kumar Champatiray, Inspector-in-charge of Pipili Police Station.

Besides slaughtering for meat, the species, protected under India's wildlife act are also used in the formulation of certain traditional medicines.

India has banned their trade under the 1972 Wildlife Protection Act, but the huge profit margin and lax laws increasingly lure poachers to the trade. (ANI)