351 rare turtles seized by DRI officials in Odisha’s Cuttack, 3 detained

Bhubaneswar: In a recent incident, as many as 351 rare turtles were seized by DRI officials in Odisha’s Cuttack district. The turtles were seized while they were being smuggled from West Bengal, said reliable reports in this regard. According to reports, the turtles were being smuggled to Karnataka from West Bengal via Odisha. The rare turtles were being taken in a Tata Tiago, when the vehicle was seized at the Manguli Toll plaza in Odisha’s Cuttack district. A total of 351 rare turtles were seized by DRI officials from the Tata Tiago. Reportedly, a total of 3 people have been detained by the officials in connection with the incident. It is noteworthy mentioning that rare turtles belong to Schedule-I of the Wildlife protection act. Species belonging to this schedule are considered to be endangered, that require rigorous protection.