Malkangiri: A joint team comprising Motu Forest Staff and Revenue Officials intercepted a suspicious motorcycle at Kamarguda Village Culvert in Malkangiri district and seized 51 live Indian Flap Shell Turtles. The accused, Suraj Mandal and Jayanta Bachhad, were arrested for violating the Wildlife Protection Act.
The turtles were being transported from Vemullarai in Andhra Pradesh to MPV-47 in Odisha for trading and consumption purposes. The accused had planned to transport the turtles during the night hours, loading them into gunny bags on a motorcycle.
The seized items include the motorcycle, a mobile phone, and two gunny bags containing the turtles, weighing approximately 160kg. The accused have been forwarded to the Judicial Court of JMFC, 79, and their bail application has been rejected. They are currently in judicial custody.
The Indian Flap Shell Turtle is a protected species, and the accused faces legal proceedings for violating wildlife protection laws.
