https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

When Cops Come to the Rescue of Wildlife

In a swift operation, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) has rescued 1300 Indian flapshell turtles and arrested two persons. These precious and threatened turtles were being smuggled to West Bengal, but their ultimate destination was China and some other countries.
Indian Masterminds Stories

In India, the forest departments in various states have been entrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding our precious flora and fauna. Mostly, they do commendable jobs which can be seen in several wonderful results- one recently example being the increase in the number of tigers all over India, which even Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi applauded. But at times, when the police force joins in the pro-wildlife acts, the results can be awesome.

Like it has happened in the Kanpur city of Uttar Pradesh. Just a few months after a big consignment of Indian flapshell turtles, a threatened species, was rescued under the guidance of SSP Etawah Mr Akash Tomar, another lot of 1,300 such turtles have been rescued again by the Uttar Pradesh Police’s Special Task Force. This seizure too was made in Kanpur. The rescue operation was put in action on February 7,2010 during which both the owner and the driver of a truck, where the turtles were being smuggled out, were nabbed.

Speaking with Mr. T B Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), STF UP, Indian Masterminds found out how valuable consignment of turtles was being smuggled to Vangaon in West Bengal. The racket of smuggling these species of turtles is not only limited inside the boundaries of our country, but it is way bigger. The turtles are supplied to countries like China, Hong Kong and Malaysia via Bangladesh and Myanmar.

The two people who have been arrested, Rambrash Yadav and Vinod Kumar Savira, were carrying the smuggled turtles in sacks and many were also scattered in the truck. According to Mr. Singh, Vinod (truck owner) was into the transport business and used to smuggle these rare turtles for a fixed price for every consignment.

The two caught while smuggling the Indian flapshell turtles

While speaking to Indian Masterminds, Mr. Singh explained how these species are different from other, normal turtles and how this illegal racket is running in India.

FOUND IN PANCHNADA

Speaking about the rare species, Mr. Singh said “These turtles are found near Etah, Etawah and Mainpuri area in Panchnada (confluence of five rivers- Kunwari, Pahuj, Jamuna, Chambal, and Sind). This particular species of Indian flapshell turtles are not found anywhere in foreign countries and neither is any other river of India. Due to the unavailability of this particular species anywhere else, its demand becomes many times more.”

He further explained, “These turtles are found a few meters away from the river during the winter season. The main task of the roadside hunters is to fetch the right species of turtles, which are found in the Panchnada. After collecting a sufficient number of turtles, they sell them to the people who are operating the racket in India. There are around 10-15 people who are involved in this racket. They buy the turtles at a cheap rate from the local poachers and smuggle it to West Bengal.”

STRICT ACTION TAKEN

After interrogating the two people who have been caught, the police got to know about the entire racket, as also its international ramifications.

The police arrested the two and sent them to jail after rescuing 1,300 turtles from the truck. The UP STF team is also trying to get more information about the whole racket which is being operated in and outside the country.

This is the second successful rescue operation conducted by UP police in just three months. In all, more than three thousand Indian flapshell turtles have been rescued after conducting both the raids, first in Etawah and now in Kanpur.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
IAS Ashwani Kumar
Assam’s Bold Bet on Local Talent: IAS Ashwani Kumar’s Vision for a Digital Assam
Haryana Jungle Safari
Haryana’s Mega Jungle Safari Project Moves Closer to Reality; Phase-I Design Finalised
SBK Singh IPS CP
Delhi Police Commissioner S B K Singh Bans Aerial Platforms from August 2 to 16 for Security Reasons
IPS-logo-resized_new
10 Senior Cops Get New Roles In Bihar Police; DG Jitendra Kumar Gets Additional Charge of B-SAP
Indian Forest Services IFS officer
Jharkhand IFS Rajneesh Kumar Transferred Amid Ongoing Legal Proceedings - Details Inside
Uttar Pradesh UP Government
17 Review Officers Transferred in Uttar Pradesh Secretariat Administration Reshuffle - Details Inside
IFS-forest-resized
6 IFS Officers Transferred in Odisha to Strengthen Environmental Administration, Jagayandatt Pati Made RCCF, Koraput Circle
IAS Officers Indian Administrative Services IAS logo
4 Young IAS Officers Reshuffled in Uttarakhand, Rahul Anand Made Joint Magistrate, Dehradun
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Karn Satyarthi
How IAS Karn Satyarthi Transformed Gumla Through Empathy and Innovation
Ananth Rupanagudi IRAS
IRAS Ananth Rupanagudi’s Take on Corruption, Reform, and Duty
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-26 at 13.16
What Most Indians Don't Know About Jim Corbett
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
BPSC Bihar police
From Lantern Light to Police Uniform: How Praveen Kumar from a Small Bihar Village Cracked BPSC to Become SDPO
From a lantern-lit village in Bihar to becoming an SDPO, Praveen Kumar's journey is a testament to resilience,...
IAS Priyansha Garg
Why Mindset Matters: IAS Priyansha Garg’s Mental Health Mantra for UPSC
After two failed prelims, Priyansha Garg cracked UPSC with AIR 31 in her fourth attempt, proving how...
Ashish Akshat
From Setback to State Topper: How Ashish Akshat Topped JPSC While Working Full-Time
Ashish Akshat from Dhanbad topped JPSC 2023, proving that resilience, discipline, and family support...
Social Media
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve: From India’s First Sanctuary to a Tiger Conservation Success Story | International Tiger Day Special
IAS Supriya Sahu Hails Mudumalai's Role in Tiger Conservation on Tiger Day. Declared in 1940, Now Among...
Mangroves
Mangroves: Nature’s Shield Against Disasters, Says Officer Parveen Kaswan on Mangroves Day - Watch His Post Here
Mangroves, with their dense, interlaced root systems, form a mesh-like structure that serves as a buffer...
Retired IPS Inderjit Singh Sidhu
Purpose Doesn’t Retire: How 88-Year-Old Retired DIG Becomes Chandigarh’s ‘Quiet Warrior’ of Cleanliness
Inderjit Singh Sidhu’s Dawn Patrol Earns Applause, Mahindra’s Praise for a Man Who Chose Action Over...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
IAS Ashwani Kumar
Assam’s Bold Bet on Local Talent: IAS Ashwani Kumar’s Vision for a Digital Assam
Haryana Jungle Safari
Haryana’s Mega Jungle Safari Project Moves Closer to Reality; Phase-I Design Finalised
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Karn Satyarthi
Ananth Rupanagudi IRAS
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-26 at 13.16
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT