Nearly 205 tortoises, including those of an endangered species, were seized from a Delhi-bound train by the Government Railway Police (GRP) at Narkatiaganj railway station in West Champaran district, officials said on Saturday.
In an operation conducted at Narktiaganj station, 205 tortoises, kept in four pillow covers, were recovered from a toilet of Satyagrah Express on Friday, said Santosh Kumar, station house officer (SHO), GRP Narkatiaganj.
“The seizure was made during a routine search operation for liquor,” the SHO said, adding no arrests have been made in this connection.
“We have handed over the creatures to the wildlife authorities so they could be kept alive,” he said.
When contacted, Sunil Pathak, range officer, Maguraha forest range of Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) on Saturday said the forest department has written to the wildlife protection department, seeking permission to release the tortoises in some water bodies. “Some of these tortoises are endangered species,” said the range officer.
Sources in the forest department said these tortoises are in demand for medicinal purposes in Asian countries and elsewhere. “The seized tortoises have both medicinal and culinary use,” the SP said.
{{/usCountry}}Sources in the forest department said these tortoises are in demand for medicinal purposes in Asian countries and elsewhere. “The seized tortoises have both medicinal and culinary use,” the SP said.
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