Uttar Pradesh: 654 Indian flapshell turtles recovered from a pond

At least 654 turtles were recovered from a pond in Uttar Pradesh's Etawah. Based on a tip-off, the Forest department raided the area and recovered the turtles.The smugglers fled away from the spot. 482 turtles were found to be dead and the rest were severely sick. The turtles were of Lissemys punctata species. These turtles are a protected species under The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Dr. Ashish, an environmentalist spoke about the incident and said that many people consume turtle meat as it's a rich source of protein.