RPF officials found six unclaimed jute bags containing 78 live Indian flapshell turtles on the Doon Express at Dhanbad.
The seizure was made during a wildlife smuggling crackdown under Operation WILEP.
The turtles were later handed over to the Dhanbad forest division for further action.
78 Indian Flapshell Turtles Seized From Doon Express in Jharkhand
RPF recovered the turtles from unclaimed jute bags during a search at Dhanbad station under Operation WILEP.
Summary
A total of 78 Indian flapshell turtles were seized from a coach of the Doon Express in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district on Friday, police said.
A senior RPF official said a team conducted a search as the train arrived on a platform at Dhanbad railway station, and found six jute bags under the seats in the coach.
“After no passenger claimed the bags, they were opened. We found live Indian flapshell turtles inside those bags,” he said.
The search was conducted under ‘Operation WILEP’, a drive of the railway protection force (RPF) to combat smuggling of wildlife and animal parts, the official said.
After completing the formalities, the seized turtles were handed to officials of the Dhanbad forest division, he added.
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