Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Feb 7:

Twin city Commissionerate Police today arrested two persons for selling scheduled species of tortoise in Odisha capital.

Acting on a tip-off, the Quick Action Team (QAT) of Commissionerate police raided a pet shop under Saheed Nagar police limits. During the raid, 10 Indian Star tortoises were found stashed in a carton for sale.

The shop named ‘guide’ was selling birds, varieties of fish kept in aquariums, among other things. As Indian Star tortoises (Geochelone elegans Schoepff) are included under schedule 4 of Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, Bhubaneswar DFO was informed about the same.

Two accused identified as Tara Kadak from Hubli in West Bengal and Prasant Kumar Mallick from VSS Nagar here were were apprehended in violation of section 9/39 of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and were forwarded to the court under section 51 of this Act.