Over 230 tortoises recovered in UP's Mirzapur, two smugglers nabbed

Two persons travelling in a Howrah-bound train were arrested here for carrying over 230 tortoises for smuggling them, the Government Railway Police said on Tuesday.

Based on a tipoff that tortoises were being carried in the general coach of the Jodhpur-Howrah Express, a joint team of the Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Police Force (RPF) searched the compartment when it reached Mirzapur, GRP Sub-Inspector Jagdish Singh said.

On searching, the police found a man and a woman -- Rakesh (28) and Lakho (40) -- carrying the reptiles in gunny bags, Singh said.

The duo was made to deboard the train and no travel ticket was found with them. Both were taken to the RPF post where the number of seized tortoises was counted, the SI said, adding that a total of 236 tortoises in 12 bags were being taken in the train.

During interrogation, the duo said they were allegedly smuggling the tortoises to Asansol in West Bengal, the SI added.

They were later handed over to the forest department for further action, Singh said.