Wildlife smuggling busted in train, 311 turtles were being transported with the help of attendant

Bhopal. A big network of wildlife trafficking has been exposed in Bhopal. Madhya Pradesh State Tiger Strike Force (STSF), in a joint action with Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Bhopal Forest Division, recovered 311 rare and protected tortoises from the AC First Class coach of 19322 Patna-Indore Express. This action was taken at Sant Hirdaram railway station.

Smuggling with the help of coach attendant
Investigation revealed that this inter-state gang used to catch turtles from the rivers of Uttar Pradesh, especially Ganga and Gomti and their tributaries, and bring them to Madhya Pradesh through AC first class coach. It is alleged that the turtles were secretly transported with the help of the coach attendant (railway employee). The recovered turtles were found in the possession of coach attendant Ajay Singh Rajput, who was allegedly working as a courier for the gang.

Turtles were imprisoned in very bad conditions
According to a report, the seized species include Crown River Turtle, Indian Tent Turtle and Indian Roofed Turtle. All of them are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. According to officials, the turtles were packed in extremely poor and suffocating conditions, leaving many dehydrated and stressed.

Possibility of big network being exposed
In further investigation, the team reached Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, where a 17 and a half year old teenager was taken into custody and sent to the correctional home of Bhopal. Officials say this network was active in districts like Lucknow, Kanpur, Unnao, Sultanpur and Amethi.

Dewas resident Asif Khan is said to be the mastermind of the gang, who was arrested on February 10 and taken on remand. The inquiry is likely to reveal financiers and their network spanning Gujarat-Maharashtra.

What punishment does a trafficker get?
Experts say that turtles are extremely important for the aquatic ecosystem. Their illegal hunting disturbs the balance of rivers. Under the Wildlife Protection Act, there is a provision of imprisonment of up to seven years and a minimum fine of Rs 25,000 for smuggling of protected species. According to officials, this racket was operating for many years using railway routes. The recent crackdown is expected to expose a larger network.