TIMES OF INDIA (New Delhi) 18 December 13 1,559 turtles recovered from a dilapidated fort in Shivrajpur
The district forest department rescued 1,559 turtles from Shivrajpur area of the city. Found in the remains of an ancient fort hidden in hay, the turtles were released into Ganga on the orders of court. It is suspected that the smugglers might have dumped the turtles there. No one could be arrested. District forest officer Ram Kumar said that the team raided the location on the basis of information provided by the villagers. The villagers helped the forest department to locate the place where the turtles were found. They said some men were seen coming frequently in the dilapidated fort. The villagers informed the police and the raid was conducted. The forest department lodged an FIR in the matter. Shivrajpur police said that the operation was conducted in association with the forest department. Earlier, 400 turtles were recovered from Kanpur Central Railway Station on November 25. Seven women were arrested in the raid. They were found carrying turtles in sacks. Each sack was having 40 to 50 turtles.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/1559-turtles-recovered-from-a-dilapidated-fort-in-Shivrajpur/articleshow/27572101.cms

TIMES OF INDIA (New Delhi) 18 December 13 1,000 tortoises rescued, smuggler arrested (Abdul Qadir)
Gaya: Gaya police, late on Monday busted a Sasaram-based gang of tortoise smugglers and rescued about 1,000 tortoises being taken to Kolkata apparently for being smuggled outside the country.
Notified as an endangered species as per International Endangered Species agreement, smuggled tortoises fetch fancy prices in the undercover international market. In the domestic market, one tortoise fetches a price anywhere between Rs 600-1200, say sources.
The rescued tortoises, a land-dwelling reptile were being smuggled in 17 bags placed in a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV). Confirming the recovery of tortoises from a Scorpio near Chandiasthan on GT Road under the Amas police station area of the district late on Monday evening, Gaya SSP Nishant Tiwari said the rescued tortoises have been handed over to the forest officials.
A case under Wild life Protection Act has been instituted for the smuggling of the land dwelling reptile, said the SSP. The seized Scorpio will be 'forfeited' as the Act prescribes forfeiture of the carrier, said the SSP. One person has been arrested and forwarded to judicial custody in this connection.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/1000-tortoises-rescued-smuggler-arrested/articleshow/27550948.cms

ZEE NEWS (Noida, India) 18 December 13 Nearly 1,100 tortoises seized in Bihar
Patna: A man was arrested in Bihar for smuggling nearly 1,100 tortoises from Gaya district, a police officer said on Wednesday.
"Seventeen sacks full of tortoises were seized from a Scorpio at GT Road near Amas police station late Tuesday," Gaya Superintendent of Police Nishant Kumar Tiwari said.
"Local villagers informed police of foul smell coming out from the vehicle parked at the roadside after it developed some technical problem," he added.
Police officer Dhanajay Kumar said the tortoises were being smuggled from Sasaram, district headquarters of Rohtas, to Kolkata.
Kumar said: "The arrested driver claimed he is a native of West Bengal's Nadia district and he was to hand over the tortoises to a man in Howrah."
District forest officer Neshmani said the tortoises are first smuggled to Kolkata and then to Mayanmar.
"The demand for tortoises is high in international market for its meat and they are also used in preparation of some medicines," he said.
India has banned the trade in turtles under the 1972 Wildlife Protection Act, but the huge premium and lax implementation of laws are increasingly luring smugglers to the illegal trade.
http://zeenews.india.com/news/bihar/nearly-1-100-tortoises-seized-in-bihar_897641.html

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