Malkangiri: Forest department personnel seized 500 turtles in Odisha’s Malkangiri district on Wednesday. The turtles were rescued from two vehicles in the Forest department’ Motu section in the Kalimela area along the Andhra-Odisha border.
According to reports, acting on a tip-off, officers of the Motu Forest section intercepted two pick-up vans. Upon inquiry the drivers informed that they were transporting fertilizer in these vehicles. However, when searched, at least 500 live turtles were found in containers inside the vehicles. The turtles were being smuggled from Andhra to Odisha.
As many as four persons have been arrested in this connection while the vehicles have been seized and kept at the Forest department’s MV 79 premises.
