India: The forest department has seized more than five kg of turtle’s flesh from Hemraj village, here. One person has been arrested in this connection.
Poaching of tortoise is suspected in the area, nearby Ganges and around Hastinapursanctuary.
According to forest officials, they received a tip-off from an informer after which a team of forest department officials reached the place and raided the house of one Mahesh. The accused belongs to Hemraj village. More than 5 kg of turtle flesh was recovered from his place.

Mahesh is in police custody and under interrogation. Giving details, divisional forest officer, M Semmaran, said, “It seems the arrested person was bringing the flesh in the market to sell it. We are trying to trace his network,”

A case has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of Wildlife Protection Act.

Officials said that World Wide Fund (WWF) is running a campaign for protection of the species but some villagers are indulging in poaching. There are around 21 villages here.

An forest official who did not wish to be named said that poachers sell it to smugglers who in turn export them in five-star hotels where their flesh and soup is consumed by the guests.

The poachers become active in summer season as water-level of the Ganga river goes down, here

(Source: The Times of India)