Foresters seize 1.5k turtles, 3 deer skulls & a parakeet
Times of India | 5 February 2024
Kolkata: West Bengal forest department thwarted a cross-border wildlife smuggling attempt, arresting two Bangladeshi nationals with around 1,500 Indian softshell turtles and an Alexandrine parakeet, considered threatened on IUCN Red List, near North 24 Parganas’ Bongaon on Indo-Bangla border on Saturday night.
In another raid at Maslandapur, one person was arrested with three barking deer skulls with horns.A motorcycle was also seized.
Acting on a tip-off, the first raid was conducted on Saturday night at Gopalnagar near Bongaon.
“During the raid, 64 jute bags were seized from the possession of two Bangladeshi nationals who were later arrested along with the seizure of about 1,450 softshell turtles, stuffed in the bags. Each bag weighed around 25 kg. The total weight was more than 1,600 kg. An Alexandrine parakeet was also rescued,” a senior forester said.
According to sources, the turtles were brought from Andhra Pradesh and were being smuggled to Bangladesh. Forest officials also claimed that international wildlife trafficking rackets were behind it. The duo was produced at a Bongaon ACJM court on Sunday afternoon.
Sources said the entire operation was carried out for about 2 hours and a huge crowd had gathered at the spot during the seizure. “The team successfully managed the crowd and could take out the entire seized stock without any hassles,” the official added.
In the raid at Maslandapur Station Road on Saturday evening, the officials confiscated three skulls with horns of barking deer and arrested Manaranjan Sarkar. He was also in a Bongaon ACJM court on Sunday.