In a startling incident of suspected wildlife trafficking, authorities at a major railway station in Uttar Pradesh rescued a large number of turtles that were being transported illegally. The discovery was made at the Pt Deendayal Upadhyay (PDDU) Junction in Chandauli district, near Varanasi, on Thursday.
Abandoned Luggage Reveals Shocking Contents
Acting on a tip-off from the Government Railway Police (GRP), officials conducted an inspection of the station platforms. During the check, four suspicious-looking sacks and backpacks were found abandoned on platform numbers three and four. Sunil Kumar Singh, the officer-in-charge of PDDU GRP, stated that nearby passengers were questioned, but no one claimed ownership of the bags.
When the police team opened one of the sacks for inspection, they made a disturbing find. The sack had clothes placed on top, likely as a decoy, but beneath them were live turtles. A thorough search of all the bags was immediately conducted.
Eighty Turtles Recovered in Major Rescue
The recovery operation led to the rescue of a significant number of reptiles. A total of 80 turtles were counted at the police station after being retrieved from the concealed compartments of the sacks and backpacks. The GRP promptly informed the forest department, whose team arrived at the GRP station and took the rescued turtles into their custody for care and further action.
Destination: Sarnath Turtle Sanctuary
The forest department officials have announced the next steps for the rescued animals. The turtles are slated to be released into the Sarnath Turtle Sanctuary, a protected habitat where they can thrive safely. This sanctuary plays a crucial role in the conservation of various freshwater turtle species in the region.
However, a key mystery remains unsolved. The GRP official indicated that investigators have not been able to ascertain where the turtles were originally sourced from or what their intended final destination was. The case highlights the ongoing challenges in curbing the illegal wildlife trade, where protected species are often smuggled across state lines for the pet trade or other purposes. The forest department is expected to lead the investigation into this smuggling attempt.
