By Avijit Biswas
Bhagalpur: Total fifty- one tortoise’s being smuggled to unknown destination were rescued today from train no 13414/Farakka Express at Malda town station of Malda division in Eastern Railway.
The tortoises were rescued by members of Crime Prevention and Detection Squad Team (CPDS) -A and Railway Protection Force (RPF) team members from coach no S-6 of the train in course of routine inspection being undertaken as part of “operation WILEP”.
The bags containing tortoises kept under different berths of the coach were found by the inspecting team after train departed from New Farakka station. As no one came to claim the bags, the unclaimed bags were opened by CPDS and RPF team members after train reached Malda Town station.
To their utter dismay the inspecting team members found alive tortoises inside the bags. No arrest could be made in connection with smuggling of tortoises. The officials of local forest department have been informed by RPF about recovery of the tortoises.
The forest department is likely to initiate investigation under relevant sections of Wildlife (Protection) Act in connection with smuggling of tortoises. It may be mentioned here most of the turtle and tortoise species of India are protected under various schedules of Wild Life (Protection) Act.
In light of the fact many species of turtles and freshwater tortoises are critically endangered, endangered and vulnerable their hunting besides trade of their body parts and derivatives is restricted under Wild Life (Protection) Act. However, reports about smuggling of tortoises and their body parts have increased of late.
In month of April this year more than twenty -five kilogram restricted tortoise meat clandestinely being taken to West Bengal was recovered at Kahalgaon railway station in this district. Assisted by members of Railway Protection Force (RPF), the recovery was made by local forest department team.
As per unofficial sources organized gangs are involved in smuggling of protected species due to its medicinal value and use for food purposes. As per informed sources because of belief, keeping tortoises in houses can reduce negative planetary effects, is also a reason illegal trade of tortoise smuggling is flourishing.
A man caught selling tortoises by forest department team in city near main post office on Monday this week indicates the protected species is also might be in demand because of belief it helps containing planetary negative effects.
Meanwhile person selling tortoises has been arrested. Two tortoises recovered from his possession has been kept at tortoise rescue and rehabilitation Centre located at Sundervan here.
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Writer Avijit Biswas, former principal correspondent of Hindustan Times Bhagalpur bureau, can be contacted at biswasavijit@yahoo.com
Contact number (mobile): +919431095516
