Malkangiri (Odisha), March 2 Officers from the Odisha forest department rescued 210 live Indian flap-shell turtles on Monday, allegedly being smuggled in a vehicle in the Malkangiri district, officials said.
During a search operation, forest personnel intercepted an SUV inside a forest near MV-62 in the district and found the turtles packed in 10 gunny bags, Sai Karan, a divisional forest officer in Malkangiri, told reporters.
Noticing the approach of forest staff, the driver and other accused fled the scene, and were not apprehended until evening, he said.
The forest personnel seized the vehicle along with the gunny bags containing the turtles.
A case has been registered under the Wildlife Protection Act, and an investigation is currently underway. Efforts are being made to identify and trace the accused, he said.
The rescued turtles are being taken for safe custody and further necessary action as per the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, he informed.
The turtles were reportedly being transported from Andhra Pradesh to the MV-62 village. The estimated value of the seized turtles is around Rs 4 lakh, forest department sources said.