Police rescue 13 turtles from UP's Etawah, arrest 3 poachers

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 22 : Three poachers who were trying to smuggle turtles from Etawah to Uttarakhand were arrested near Anant Ram toll plaza in Uttar Pradesh, police said on late Sunday.

A total of 13 live turtles of protected species were recovered from the accused by a joint team of the Forest Department and Special Task Force.

"A total of 13 live turtles of protected species were recovered. The accused have been taken into custody. Further probe underway," said, Atul Kant Shukla, Divisional Director Forest, Etawah.

Earlier in February this year, acting on a tip-off, Railway Protection Force personnel recovered 150 turtles from a sleeper class bogie of the North East Express at Uttar Pradesh's Deen Dayal Upadhyay junction and detained nine people in this connection.

It was also revealed that the turtles were being taken from the Sangam coast of Prayagraj to Katihar in Bihar to be sold in villages there.