In a major action against suspected wildlife trafficking, a Railway Protection Force (RPF) team recovered 120 live turtles from the ladies’ coach of the Yog Nagri Rishikesh-Howrah Doon Express in Dhanbad division, officials said on Saturday.
13010 between Gomoh and Dhanbad around 12.30 am on the intervening night of August 28 and 29. During the inspection, the team noticed six unattended bags and sacks in the last compartment of the women’s coach towards the rear of the train. Passengers present in the coach were questioned, but none claimed ownership of the bags. As no passenger claimed ownership of the bags containing the live turtles, the matter is being investigated from the angle of suspected wildlife trafficking. Coordination has been established with the Forest Department for handing over the rescued turtles and completing the necessary legal procedures.”
The divisional-level task team was conducting a search of Train No, according to RPF sources. RPF Post in-charge Ajay Prakash said, “The recovery was made during a special checking operation under Operation Wild.
