Three held for smuggling gharials, turtles in MP's Morena

Morena (MP), Jul 13 (PTI) Three persons have been arrested for allegedly smuggling gharials, a critically endangered species of fish-eating crocodile, and turtles in Madhya Pradesh's Morena district, an official said on Sunday.

Acting on a tip-off, the police and forest department launched a joint operation in Joura town on Saturday and seized 30 hatchlings of gharials and three turtles from the accused, the official said.

Vinod Upadhyay, the deputy ranger of the forest department in Joura, said that they received information about gharial and turtle hatchlings being smuggled in tins of "pan masala" loaded into a white car.

The reptiles had been captured from the Chambal River, he said.

"With the police's help, we intercepted the vehicle and recovered 30 hatchlings of gharials and three turtles," Upadhyay said.

Sub-divisional officer of police (SDOP) Nitin S Baghel said the accused were taken into custody and booked under the Wildlife (Protection) Act on Saturday.

According to forest officials, the accused had captured the hatchlings from the Bateshwar Ghat of the Chambal River. PTI COR LAL ARU