Jharkhand News : In a major wildlife trafficking crackdown under Operation WILEP, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) in Dhanbad recovered 78 live turtles from the women’s coach of the Yognagari Rishikesh–Howrah Doon Express (Train No. 13010) early Friday morning.
The seized turtles, belonging to the Indian Flapshell species, are estimated to be worth around ₹7.8 lakh in the illegal market. Acting on a tip-off, an RPF task team searched the train upon its arrival at platform number 2 and discovered six unclaimed cloth bags hidden under a seat. Upon inspection, the bags were found to contain turtles packed inside jute sacks.
No passenger claimed ownership of the bags. The RPF seized the turtles and informed the Forest Department, which took custody of the animals. The case has been registered under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and an investigation is underway to trace the traffickers.
RPF officials said the successful operation marks a significant step toward curbing wildlife smuggling in the region.
