174 Indian soft-shelled turtles rescued from Serampore

Kolkata: In a joint raid by Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and State Forest department, 174 Indian soft shelled turtles were rescued from Serampore late on Thursday morning. Two persons, who were carrying the turtles, have been arrested.

According to sources, On Wednesday night, members of WCCB got a tip-off about smugglers are coming to Kolkata with good number of turtles on Thursday morning.

It was informed that they will deboard a train at Serampore railway station and will go to Kolkata by a car. State Forest department was informed and a plan was made. On Thursday morning officials of WCCB and Wildlife Crime Control Unit (WCCU) of West Bengal Forest Directorate were waiting at Serampore railway station.

Around 7:30 am, WCCB and WCCU officials saw two men with seven shopping bags deboarding a train.

On suspicion, officials surrounded them and searched the bags. During the search, it was found that several Indian soft shelled or flapshelled turtles concealed under clothes.

The duo was detained and taken to the Government Railway Police (GRP) in Serampore railway station.

There the turtles were taken out of the bag.

It was found the duo was carrying 208 turtles out of which 34 had died. Later, a case was lodged at the Sreerampore GRP and the duo was arrested. During questioning it was found that the turtles were procured from Kheta Sarai in Uttar Pradesh.

The turtles were taken to wildlife rehabilitation centre in Salt Lake for rehabilitation and to be released in the wild.